the Christ heals

A Great Full Grateful Heart

2011-11-22T15:02:00.001-06:00

The Thanksgiving sign read "A Greatful Heart".

"Hmm...", I thought," I think they meant to write "A Grateful Heart". Or did they?

I've been thinking about what a great, full heart might be like. "Great" means large in dimensions or number, considerable in magnitude". "Heart" means the part nearest the center; the most essential part of a body or system; center of activity". I think many people would agree that the essential part of one's being and the center of their activity should be kept large and full of God. This can be seen as a definition of both a great, full heart and a grateful heart! Grateful means "appreciative of benefits received; willing or glad to acknowledge and repay, or give thanks for". We have a grateful heart when our being and activity are large and full of appreciative acknowledgement of what God has done and is doing.

I still had a puzzle about being grateful. In Genesis it says that man is created as the "image and likeness" of God. This means that the God-given qualities that man expresses must also be qualities that God expresses. If having a grateful heart is natural and good, it must be part of man's identity as the image of God and therefore God must have a grateful heart.

What is God grateful for? If we think of being grateful as acknowledging and appreciating good, we find a description of God being grateful in Genesis where it says "God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." As God looked at his creation he acknowledged and appreciated the goodness of every part of it.

These thoughts have expanded my sense of Thanksgiving and inspire me to have a great, full, grateful heart everyday: to make the essential part of my being and the center of my activity to be maintaining a large and full view of everything as made by God and being very good. This is a grateful heart!

Obedience to the First Commandment - "No Other Gods" - brings healing

2011-10-20T12:14:00.001-05:00

When God gave His laws, known as the 10 Commandments, to Moses to share with the Children of Israel, the very first law that he gave was "You shall have no other Gods". While at some might interpret this to simply mean that we shouldn't worship other gods, the Bible makes clear that God is the only god, supreme and all-powerful. This commandment can then be seen as a statement or promise to us that there are no other gods.

Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian writer, healer, and author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, writes "The First Commandment is my favorite text". She counseled that we should always be alert and clear in our thought that there are no other gods beside the one God. In another of her books, No and Yes, she writes, "God's law is in three words, 'I am All;' and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law."

One night, I awoke with my skin feeling painful. I turned on the light and found that red spots were welling up on several areas of my body. Instead of wondering what these symptoms might be called or what course the problem might take, I immediately thought "This is just a claim that there is another god or another law or power that can touch or influence me."

I got out of bed so that I could focus my thought on understanding the truth of one God. I began studying a weekly Bible Lesson that included the story of Jericho, the fortress city that blocked the route of Children of Israel to the promised land. Obeying God's direction, the Israelites marched silently around the city once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh day. On completion of the seventh circuit, the walls of Jericho, which appeared to be so strong and massive, fell and the Israelites were able to conquer the city. This story assured me that now as then, God was supreme and all-powerful. And because I believed that God makes me healthy, I knew that there was no other god, power, or disease that could make me unhealthy.

Although the physical symptoms had not changed, as a result of my prayer and study I felt at peace, confident that I was under God's all-powerful care, and certain that nothing could harm me. Because it was still the middle of the night, I went to bed and slept peacefully.

When I woke in the morning, I felt fine. I looked at my skin and found that it appeared normal and natural. There was no trace of the symptoms I had experienced the night before. In fact, the only evidence I had that I hadn't dreamed the whole incident was that I was still wearing the sweatshirt that I had put on when I got up during the night to study. My obedience to the First Commandment, my refusal to accept any other gods, had brought me a quick and complete healing!

The photograph at the top is a close-up of a portion of the painting "Star Gods" by Navajo artist David Chethlahe Paladin

The Christ shows the way

2011-10-13T12:09:00.002-05:00

We were lost....

After two days of backpacking through the glorious autumn colors of the Colorado Rockies, My daughter and I had lost the trail. Up until a few hours before, the trail had been easy to follow and we rarely had to check our map. But then we had to cross a stretch of ranch land where the trail wasn't maintained or marked and the cattle had obscured our route with paths of their own making. We kept heading in the general direction that we thought the trail should be going, but because of the rolling topography, dense patches of trees, and occasional small herds of cattle that we had to circumvent, we had a growing sense that we were wandering. As the sun began to set, we came to the edge of the ranch land to what we knew was the beginning of a wide stretch of forest. Although this wasn't an ideal camping spot, we did not want to enter the forest in the waning light and with no trail to follow, so we stopped.

In spite of our situation, I did not feel panicky or overly concerned. I had seen proof throughout my life that God takes care of us and I knew that the Christ was always present to guide us. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and the discoverer of Christian Science, describes the Christ as "'God with us,' - a divine influence, ever present in human consciousness". As we prepared to camp for the night, I listened quietly for this divine influence to guide me. I didn't plead for God to help or show us the way. Instead I calmly examined my understanding of the facts: God is good; God knows me and loves me; God directs my activities through His Christ, the power of God's presence coming to man. I understood these facts. In a little while, I felt the urge to walk a short distance to a spot at the edge of the woods. There, I found the trail that we had been looking for. The way to proceed in the morning was clear!

This Christ or "divine influence, ever present in human consciousness" is much more than just a helpful guide for hikers. The Christ is available and ready to show each one of us the path of life, to guide our daily activities, and to help us find the way that God has laid out for us whether we feel lost in a career, a relationship, or the entire direction of our life. The Christ is there to guide you!

Stop Swatting Bugs and Experience the Beauty and Harmony of God's Government

2011-08-16T22:00:00.000-05:00

Do you want to experience a day where you feel at peace and witness the beauty and harmony of God's government? Then stop swatting bugs and pay attention!

Let me explain what I mean by describing an experience I had this summer.

The mist in the valley below began to glow softly in the pre-dawn light. I was sitting on the edge of a high cliff with a friend. We had risen very early, while it was still dark, and hiked to this spot to get a bird's eye view of the sunrise. As we sat there, I listened attentively as the wind whispered through the trees and birds began singing. An owl tooted, frogs chorused, and a woodpecker added some percussion. Lights twinkled in some of the farmhouses in the valley somewhere below a cock crew.

I was enchanted by the spectacle of the dawning day, but I noticed that my friend wasn't paying attention. She was busy swatting at bugs! "When is the sunrise going to happen?" she asked. "It is happening!", I replied. My friend swatted bugs for a few more moments and then announced, "I think I'll head back to bed now". She stood and walked back toward camp.

After she left, the wind strengthened and swirled, causing leaves and branches to dance. The sun, approaching from behind a ridge, began to paint light across the clouds. Finally, the sun's orb burst above the ridge like a firecracker. As I sat watching the growing light, a curious deer peered through the brush at me.

My witnessing of that morning dawn filled me with joy and a sense of God's harmony and beauty being expressed all around me. I was sorry that my friend had been so distracted by bugs that she had failed to observe and experience this same feeling.

This experience teaches a lesson about how to approach every day. God's beauty and harmony are always present and active and God's plan of goodness is always going on. We can witness this, but we will fail to if we let ourselves get distracted by swatting bugs - focusing our attention on human concerns such as feeling that we are personally responsible for the creation of good, complaining or ruminating about the behavior of others, or thinking of ourselves as under attack from powers apart from God.

Just today, many "bugs" clamored for my attention - phone calls, difficult relationships, and too many tasks on my to-do list. Instead of letting myself get frazzled, I refrained from swatting at these bugs. I don't mean that I didn't answer the phone, deal with relationships, or do my chores - I did. But I didn't let these bugs distract me from bearing witness to God's goodness around me - the helpful customer service rep, finding a well of patience when it was needed, progress made on a task. Each small blessing that I consciously witnessed and acknowledged added to my sense of the presence of God's government. Recognizing the presence of God's goodness and refusing to "swat bugs" enabled me to finish the day feeling happy and fresh!

A Lesson in Peacemaking

2011-07-28T21:04:00.002-05:00

I was working in a camping program for teenagers when I learned a lesson about peacemaking. One evening, we were going to hold a church testimony meeting around the campfire. When it was time to start, a camper was joking around and had some trouble settling down and getting serious for our meeting. I shushed him in what I intended to be a friendly, kidding-way. He quieted down, and the meeting proceeded. Later, as we were all heading to bed, I was walking by the camper’s tent when I heard one of his friends say to him, “Colin sure was angry with you this evening. He glared at you all through the testimony meeting.” Of course this was not the case at all – I had felt no anger or impatience and had not given the incident any further thought!

As I went to bed, I thanked God for revealing the need to heal misperceptions about this incident. I prayed that my good intentions could not be misunderstood and that I would have the opportunity to correct the situation. Two thoughts came to me in response to my prayers:
1) Because God had revealed the need for peacemaking to me, I could trust that God would also supply to opportunity to resolve the situation.
2) I had to be alert to recognize this opportunity and to be obedient and act when God presented the opportunity to me.

The next morning at breakfast, I found myself alone with the camper I had shushed the evening before. I recognized that this was an opportunity to speak to him, but I also felt hesitant to speak. I was tempted to remain silent and not bring up the incident. I found myself thinking: “It’s forgotten and in the past, don’t make a big deal about it”. However, I remembered that part of the answer to my prayer the evening before had been the directive that I needed to be obedient and act when the opportunity to make peace presented itself.

I was obedient! I spoke up and told the camper that I was not angry with him, that I had been trying to kid with him when I shushed him the evening before and that I hoped my words and actions were not misunderstood. He replied that he had thought I was kidding with him, but that he hadn’t been sure. Our discussion cleared the air on this incident. I was grateful that the situation was corrected.

This experience taught me that God reveals to us discords that need harmonizing and that God gives us the opportunity to take corrective action. In turn, it is our responsibility to be alert to recognize the opportunities that God gives us to be peacemakers and to be obedient in acting on these opportunities.

Praying for Protection from Flu

2011-02-09T23:33:00.000-06:00

This morning's news had a story about an outbreak of flu in our country. The story included maps showing where the outbreak had occurred and where it was predicted to spread.

Can prayer protect us from this flu outbreak? Praying can seem like a daunting task if we think of our prayers as pleas for God to do something about a power apart from God that is able to run it's own course. But effective prayer is possible when we realize that disease isn't what it appears to be and that our prayerful task is the activity of listening intently for God to reveal the truth of God's creation and kingdom. Let me give you an example of this.

Many years ago, spots appeared and spread over my young son's body. The school nurse instructed me to keep him away from other children and to call the county health department. The person I spoke with at the health department asked many questions about the symptoms my son was experiencing. They declared that this was a disease that was going around the area and described to me all the additional symptoms my son would experience over the next several days.

Rather than simply accept this authoritative prediction from the health department, My wife and I prayed to learn what God would tell us about our son's true condition. I don't remember the specifics of my prayer, but I recall that I listened quietly and intently for inspiration from God and contemplated the truths I knew about God and man as revealed in The Bible and explained in a book that helps me understand the Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

My quiet listening brought me a conviction that God, Good was always caring for my son and no power apart from God could touch or influence him in any way. I then found this statement of Eddy's to be true: "Be thoroughly persuaded in your own mind of the truth...and you will be the victor." The spots faded from my son's body and in about two days no trace of them remained. During this entire period, my son felt fine, played happily, and experienced no other symptoms of disease.

The school nurse examined my son again and said he no longer needed to be isolated from other children. I also called the health department back as they had requested. I spoke with the same person that I had originally. They asked if the symptoms had progressed as they predicted. I told them that none of the predicted symptoms had appeared. There was silence on the phone line for several moments, then the person at the health department said, "Well, I guess it wasn't what I thought it was."

The health department worker's statement was more true than she realized. Disease is never what human opinion thinks it is. Eddy states: "All disease is the result of education, and disease can carry its ill-effects no farther than mortal mind maps out the way. ... Truth handles the most malignant contagion with perfect assurance." The Biblical authority for this last statement is Jesus's proclamation, "Know the truth and the truth will make you free."

This experience demonstrates how we can respond to news reports of flu. Rather than passively accepting human opinions of how this outbreak will spread, we can calmly turn in prayer to listen to the truth that God is revealing to us about His creation. This sincere, prayerful, listening activity can protect ourselves and our communities.

God and Geology

2011-01-20T16:26:00.001-06:00

Sometimes people are surprised when they learn that I am both a geologist and a Christian. This is because they assume that physical science is somehow in conflict with the idea of God being the only cause and creator. This blog is not about the theories of creationism vs evolution. I don't debate ideas. I only report my personal experience. I have found the laws and theories that the science of Geology is based on to be important to my daily work as a geologist. But, I have also found in my work that it indispensable to listen to what God is saying about His creation. Here is one of many experiences I've had during my career which illustrate the advantage of listening to God.

A coal mining company encountered some severe mining conditions in an area of their underground mine. The conditions were unsafe and costly to mine. The viability of the mine was threatened. A consulting geologist visited the mine, but he could not explain the cause of the geologic features or predict the location and prevalence of these features within the remaining mine reserve.

The company asked if I could help them. Prior to my visit to the mine, they sent me photos, maps, and drilling records of the area where they were encountering the problems. I examined this information, but my extensive geologic training and experience did not provide any answers. I put the geologic information aside and quietly prayed. I did not request anything from God. In accordance with Jesus's promise, "Know the truth and the truth will make you free", my prayers were an affirmation of the truth as I have learned it in the Bible and another book that helps me understand the Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. I acknowledged that God created and governed all, that God is all-knowing. Because, as the Bible explains, man is the image and likeness of God, we can always have the information that is humanly needed by listening quietly and humbly to God.

As I sat quietly listening, an idea came. It was an idea you will never find in a geology text book. I had never heard of this idea before or since. God was the sole source of the idea. I looked again at the information the company had sent me and found that using this new idea, I could have predicted all the areas where they encountered problems. I then made a map predicting the boundaries of the area of bad mining conditions.

Later that week, I visited the mine and gave them my map and the explanation for their problems. They were skeptical at first - this was a new idea. However, when we went into the mine and visited the problem area, it was clear that the idea could be used to correctly delineate the area of severe mining conditions as well as predict where else on their property these conditions could be present. This explanation not only helped the company mine that area of their property, but allowed them to successfully expand their mine into adjacent areas.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science and the author of the book that I referred to earlier, understood how a knowledge of God could bring practical benefits to any aspect of our human experience. She wrote "A knowledge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man. It extends the atmosphere of thought, giving mortals access to broader and higher realms. It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity."

Living by God's Word Instead of Turning Stones to Bread

2011-01-04T11:46:00.004-06:00

One of the statistics that this blog site records is the word or phrase that visitors were searching on when they followed a link to this blog. For the past year, the number one search phrase was “turning stones to bread”.

I wondered why so many people were interested in turning stone to bread. Could it be the state of the economy? Are people with financial or employment needs recalling that Jesus said something about turning stones to bread and seeing this as a possible solution for their situation?

The idea of turning stones to bread was actually the devil’s suggestion to Jesus when he was in the wilderness without food and feeling hungry (see Matthew, chapter 4). “If you are really the son of God”, said the devil, “you can quench your hunger by turning these stones to bread”. Jesus didn’t deny that he was the son of God or that he had the power to turn stones to bread, but he refused to follow the devil’s suggestion. Instead he said, “Man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word from God.”

What did Jesus mean by his response? Don’t we turn to God in prayer to accomplish some practical healing result? Are we attempting to turn stones to bread when we pray for our human needs to be met, to have the nutritional and financial resources we need, to have our health and strength restored? Is this the wrong approach?

I had an insight on this recently when I awoke one night with the symptoms of a cold. I’ve learned through experience that I can turn to God to restore and maintain my health, so I immediately began praying. However, my prayer wasn’t a plea for God to restore my health. Although I didn’t think of it at the time, perhaps praying to turn a sick human body into a healthy human body would have been akin to attempting to turn stones to bread. Instead, my prayers consisted of quietly contemplating God’s word – the truths about God and man attested to in the Bible. I thought about the Bible’s assurance that God loves man. The prophet Jeremiah quotes God as saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I made you.” As I thought about these and other comforting words of God, the symptoms of a cold disappeared. The next morning I was strong and healthy and I have remained so.

Could this experience be an example of what Jesus was teaching us when he said that we live by every word that comes from God? Perhaps he was teaching us to find solutions by letting our consciousness dwell on the promises and truth’s found in God’s word instead of focusing our efforts on changing a human condition.

How would a person facing financial problems apply this idea? Instead of pleading with God to provide a job or money, one’s prayers could acknowledge the continuous abundance of God’s provision for his creation. In Psalms (chapter 36) it reminds us: “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.” As we let our thought dwell on this steadfast love God has for us, God’s guidance and provision for our human needs will appear. We have no need to attempt to turn stones to bread!

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Follow these links to find additional ideas on turning stones to bread:
Some thoughts on turning stones to bread
Resisting the temptation to turn stones to bread
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The Mystery of Christmas

2010-12-23T14:15:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine told me about how she shops at Christmas time. She refuses to let the hurry and tension of the shopping season get to her. As she walks calmly around the store, she gives other shoppers a friendly smile and a nod. She hums carols to herself as she stands peacefully in the checkout line. If someone behind her in line is fidgeting impatiently, she smiles and lets them go in front of her. "Merry Christmas!", she responds to their grateful, but often puzzled thank-you to her cheerful graciousness.

My friend is a living example of the mystery of Christmas. Her carol humming is like the angels that sang on Christmas night, heard only by the wakeful shepherds quietly tending their flocks. Her smiles and nods to strangers and her gracious unselfishness in the checkout line are like the star the wise men followed - in plain view of all, but over-looked, dismissed, or not understood by most around. Few, if any, "follow" this star - contemplate the basis of these gestures. Those busy shoppers are so focused on the commercial and social aspects of the holiday season that there is no room at their "Inn" (e.g. in their thought) for the Christ-child, the humble signs of the presence of God's love, to dwell.

And so my starry, angel friend hums and smiles her way meekly through the Christmas season. Those few that recognize and follow the meaning of her actions behold the Christ, and feel in their hearts the real blessing of that original Christmas.

Emmanuel: Our connection with God - a protection from false influences

2010-12-21T12:46:00.000-06:00

What powers have influence over our lives? A friend of mine told me that she knew a mental technique that enabled her to go into a room of people that were experiencing anger or anguish and cause them all to become drowsy and go to sleep. Her purpose in doing this would be to bring peace to the situation in the room, but I could see how a less benevolent person might use the same technique to manipulate people to their own personal advantage. I could also see how the mental force my friend described is inadvertently being exercised and influencing others anytime someone holds a strong belief or fear about a situation. Mental influence of others' thoughts goes on in our society much more than we realize.

"Does your technique always affect everyone in the room?", I asked my friend. "No", she replied, "This technique has no affect on a person that has a strong connection with God."

This exchange has caused me to think deeply about my connection with God. What is my connection with God? Is is strong? How can I make it stronger? What do I need to do to maintain that connection?

Fortunately, we all have a connection with God and the more clearly we understand and acknowledge this connection the stronger it will be in our thought and experience and the less susceptible we will be to other influences. This divine connection is described in the Bible as Immanuel, Emmanuel, or God-with-us, and is more commonly referred to as the Christ. Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian writer and healer, described this divine influence in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as "ever present in human consciousness, and repeating itself". Eddy goes on to say that the mission of this influence now is as it was described hundreds of years ago by the prophet Isaiah: "To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense], and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

Christmas time is a celebration of the appearance of the Christ in human experience as Jesus. The Christmas story tells us how we can experience this appearing of the Christ in our own experience. We need to have "room at the inn" - a place in our consciousness free from distractions where there is room for the Christ-thought to take root. We have to follow the guiding star that is always shining in our experience and hear the angel messages that can be discerned by thought that is quietly listening and diligently watching. And, we need to be open and aware that the Christ can and will come in unexpected ways, like a seemingly helpless baby born to a humble family.

I experienced this connection with God and its protecting power against outside influences last week. I awoke in the middle of the night sneezing and feeling chills. I could feel the influence of the popular thought that seasonal ailments were making the rounds and entering our experience. However, instead of giving in and going along with this influence, I turned my thought to my connection with God. I thought about how God had made me in His image and likeness and that as God's creation I was now and forever (not just once upon a time) very good. I acknowledged that the Christ was present in my consciousness and was speaking to me of my God-maintained health. I went back to sleep with my thought connected to these truths about God and man. When I awoke the next morning, I had no sign of illness and I have remained healthy and strong.

The Christ is present in the thought of each one of us, not just on Christmas, but every day. This is our unbreakable connection to God and knowledge of this is our protection from any other influence.

How to Pray? Know the Truth!

2010-12-02T13:06:00.005-06:00

Our bird Cocoa enjoys the house too!

A friend and I were talking about prayer. "If you want a car", she said, "do you ask God for a car?"

My prayers follow the instructions Jesus gave us when he said "Know the truth, and the truth will make you free". So how does that instruction translate into a prayer that brings practical results? Let me give you an example.

My family was moving to a new community and we needed a house. We took the human footsteps of contacting a real estate agent and shopping for houses. The task seemed daunting. It was a large community that was unfamiliar to us and far from our current home. There were many neighborhoods and houses to choose from, but none seemed to be just what our family needed. I knew that God could lead us to an affordable house in the right location that would meet the needs of our family. How could I follow Jesus's direction to "know the truth"? What was the truth about our family's situation?

Psalms 23 says: "...I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever". As I prayed about our house hunting, I acknowledged in my prayers this truth that my family was forever dwelling in the house of the Lord. What is the house of the Lord like? I made a list of the qualities that I thought would be found and supported in the house of the Lord. This wasn't a list of physical characteristics such as number of rooms or distance from schools. These qualities included togetherness, inclusiveness, peace, sanctuary, humility, inspiration, having room for the Christ-spirit, within and overlooking God's kingdom, affordable, humble, fun, friendship, convenience, privacy, community, firm foundation, enduring, and flawless function.

Before each house-hunting trip, I looked over this list of qualities and acknowledged the truth that my family's dwelling in the house of the Lord included and always would include those qualities. Each time we walked into a prospective home, I'd run through this list of qualities in my thought. Did I see these qualities expressed in that house? Even though we didn't seem to be finding what we needed, our search remained pleasant, calm, fun, and stress-free.

One day, the Realtor took us to a house that had just come on the market. It was in a location we had not been considering, included features that we had not wanted, and was on the high-side of our price range. Was it right for us? I ran through the list of qualities and found that every quality was supported and expressed by that house. We easily made the decision and purchased the house with confidence. In the days that followed, every time I found myself wondering if we had made the right decision, I would remember the basis for my decision and my confidence would return.

We've lived in the house for over ten years now. It has proved to be a perfect home for us, including many ways that we did not recognize or anticipate when we made the decision to purchase it. As our family grows and changes there will come a time when we should move on. I know that we will always be dwelling in the house of the Lord and that reliance on and acknowledgment of that truth in prayer will lead us to the right human expression of our next home. As Jesus promised us - knowing the truth is an effective way to pray!

Is Prayer an Effective Action?

2010-10-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

There was a recent article in my local paper about the Reverend Sam Childers. Rev. Childers, who refers to himself as the "Machine Gun Preacher", is a Christian who's ministry involves rescuing orphans and fighting warlords in Sudan's Darfur region. While Childers' ministry of gun-toting action is thought-provoking, what really caught my attention was a comment by one of Childers' supporters who made a derisive reference to "Christians that just want to sit on their hands and pray".

Just pray? - the implication is that prayer is not enough, that prayer itself is not a complete solution. Is that so?

While it is true that prayer can lead one to take decisive action, the Bible provides ample proof that prayer alone can be sufficient to solve the most difficult situations. Elijah won his fire-lighting contest with the prophets of Baal solely through his prayers of humble obedience (see I Kings, chapter 18). Jesus fed the multitudes with five loaves and two fish solely through his prayer-grounded certainty that God satisfies (see Matthew, chapter 14). Paul and Silas were freed from prison solely through their prayers and songs of praise (see Acts, chapter 16).

In my own experience, I've witnessed prayer alone resolve conflicts, produce solutions to technical problems, find lost articles, and heal physical injuries and sickness. My experience has been that prayer alone can be very, very effective.

When we feel led to take human action as a result of our prayers, there is always the risk that we are mistaken. One need look no further for examples of misguided actions than the many religiously-inspired suicide bombers or those that bomb abortion clinics. So while I cautiously applaud individuals who sincerely endeavor to put their prayers into proper action, I challenge you with this question: Why not just pray?

Healing a strained muscle

2010-07-27T18:43:00.001-05:00

Just over a week ago, I was playing basketball with some friends when I suddenly pulled a muscle in my leg. I could walk gingerly, but running was painfully impossible. Concern flooded my thoughts. My friends and I were going to do a high ropes course the next day, and rock climbing the following two days. Would I be able to participate?

I immediately pushed these fears aside and followed some advice that I have found successfully heals apparent injury from accidents. Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and discoverer of Christian Science, writes in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "When an accident happens, you think or exclaim, 'I am hurt!' Your thought is more powerful than your words, more powerful than the accident itself, to make the injury real. Now reverse the process. Declare that you are not hurt and understand the reason why, and you will find the ensuing good effects to be in exact proportion to your disbelief in physics, and your fidelity to divine metaphysics, confidence in God as All, which the Scriptures declare Him to be."

How could I understandingly declare that I wasn't hurt? I could do this because I have learned that God has made man in His image and likeness and that man is a spiritual being with God-given dominion over all the earth (see Genesis chapter 1). Psalms 91 says that God gives his angels charge over us so that we can not injure ourselves. These Biblical truths mean to me that I am subject to God's law of harmony, not laws of physiology that say man can be subject to limitations and flaws of muscles and sinews. Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, demonstrated these truths when he instantly healed a man that had never walked (see Acts chapter 3).

To understand these points, I had to be thoroughly persuaded of the truth of these statements. I couldn't just mouth these truths, I had to really feel in my heart that they were true. I persistently affirmed these Biblical truths of my God-created condition every time I was conscious of pain or difficulty walking. I was able to complete the activities for that evening. The next day, after completing the high ropes course, I realized that I had not noticed my leg muscles at all. There was only a slight stiffness and this was entirely gone and forgotten by the following day. I enjoyed two days of active rock climbing with no pain or stiffness whatsoever!

Our Wings - The First Commandment

2010-07-04T21:29:00.004-05:00

A friend and I were sitting on a log at the edge of a stream. In front of us was a small waterfall. As we sat, we watched a duck apparently playing with the current. The duck would drift slowly backwards towards the falls. Then, just when it seemed about to go over the falls, it would paddle vigorously upstream against the current for a few yards - and then repeat the process. One time though, it got too close to the edge, could not escape the current, and was carried backwards over the falls. However, the duck did not land with a violent splash. Instead, it twisted around, spread its wings, and landed gracefully in the quiet pool below the falls.

My friend commented that life can be like that too. When events seem to carry us out of control over a precipice, we can spread our wings - our spiritual understanding of God - and experience a graceful landing.

I've been thinking about this. What are my wings? I've decided that one of the most important elements of my spiritual wings is the first Commandment - "You shall have no other gods beside me" (Exodus 20, English Standard version).

Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and the discoverer of Christian Science, wrote in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "The First Commandment is my favorite text. ... it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind." Eddy goes on to elaborate the benefits that come from realizing this truth that all men have no other spirit or mind but God. She writes, "One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, 'Love they neighbor as thyself', annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, - whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed."

Just as you have to spread you wings to use them, you have to apply this commandment to your situation, consistently hold to the truth of this law in your heart, and let it guide your actions. I've listed many examples in this blog of healings that result from this simple process. Time and time again in my life, when I find myself seemingly plunging over the falls of life, I have found that by contemplating and really holding strongly in my heart the lesson of this Commandment, I have been able to spread my spiritual wings, arrest my fall, and land safely. You can too!

The Baby Ways of Christ

2010-06-17T14:30:00.005-05:00

The Christ, which I like to describe as the power of God's presence and presence of God's power, is always with each one of us. Why aren't we more aware of this Christ-presence in our lives? One reason may be that we don't know what to look for. At the beginning of the Christian era, the Jewish people were expecting a Messiah. But, they were looking for a great military or political leader and so almost no one was aware of the quiet birth of the baby Jesus taking place in a manger in the bustling city of Bethlehem. According to the Biblical accounts, only a few shepherds and three wisemen were aware of this significant event.

The Christ is still appearing to each one of us today in what I call little baby ways - seemingly insignificant signs and occurrences that touch and bless us in ways that we may not be aware of.

For example, recently, after lunch with a friend, I intended to run some errands before I returned home. As I got into my car, I noticed that I had spilled a bit of ketchup on my pants. I thought to myself, "No big deal, I'll run my errands and then go home and clean it up". However, I was filled with a strong urge to go home first and clean my pants. Although this seemed unnecessary and a waste of time, I simply could not overcome that urge, so I drove home without doing the errands. As I walked into my home, the telephone rang. It was an unexpected, important call that required me to take some immediate action. I was so grateful that I was there to take the call.

Some might say that this incident was a fortunate coincidence. I've come to recognize this as one of the baby ways that the Christ touches our lives. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian author and healer, describes this divine influence as "ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself". As we learn to recognize the baby ways of the Christ we will see more and more of this divine influence in our lives.

One Mind Knows and Governs All

2010-05-26T10:32:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week, I had to renew the registration on my vehicle. I paid for the registration renewal, took the new tags for my license plates, and drove home. The next day I realized that I had forgotten to put the new tags on the plates. Where were they? I looked everywhere...in the car, in my office, around the house, in the car again. They were nowhere to be found.

That evening, I prayed quietly about the missing tags. I thought about how God is the one divine Mind that knows and governs all...ALL. Knowing and governing all doesn't mean God knows some things and governs sometimes. I pondered this point and really embraced it with my heart. I still didn't know where the tags were, but felt that I had done all that I could and had to leave the rest to God.

The next day, I drove to the town office to buy another pair of tags. I parked and leaned over to reach down into the glove compartment to pull out the necessary papers. With my face level with the passenger seat, I looked back and saw the edge of my missing tags sticking out of the crack between the seat and the seat back. God, the divine Mind, knew where my tags were and had guided me to find them!

Footprints, Seaweed, Sand …. and Stones

2010-04-24T12:51:00.015-05:00

There are many interesting objects and sights on a beach. Each one has a unique story to tell. The ever shifting sand records the footprints of a passing jogger or wandering beach comber. Seaweed washed up by the tide tells of life in an offshore underwater world. Stones spell out an elaborate tale of mountain formation, ancient life, and erosion. Then a wave pours over the scene and the items wash away or vanish altogether and the stories are gone … except for the stones.

Life seems like a beach sometimes. We surround ourselves with friends and possessions, we have joys and accomplishments, and then a wave of misfortune or new opportunity hits us and the scene changes – sometimes into a more interesting scene, sometimes into a seemingly blank stretch of life’s beach.

But the stones always remain.

What are the stones on the beach of life? The things that remain when all else seems to change or pass away? One stone that I’ve come to recognize and cherish is our relationship with God. The Bible is full of ideas about this relationship, each one forming a permanent stone of truth on our beach of life.

Take for example, the Lord’s Prayer (found in Matthew, chapter 5). This prayer starts out with the declaration: “Our Father which art in heaven”. God is our Father. That is a stone that forever remains with us. Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian writer and healer, wrote her spiritual sense of the Lord’s Prayer in her major work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. She interprets this first line of the prayer as “Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious”. No matter what happens in life, we are never separated from our all-harmonious Father-Mother God!

Here is the Lord’s Prayer with Eddy’s spiritual sense of it in italics. These are stones that will always be on your beach!

Our Father which art in heaven,
Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.
Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.
Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Enable us to know, -- as in heaven, so on earth, -- God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;
Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;
And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.

Why I Choose Christian Healing

2010-03-26T17:14:00.008-05:00

Some things aren't what our physical senses tell us they are. For example, the earth isn't flat and the ocean doesn't, as sailors once thought, flow off the edge of the world at the horizon. But what about our physical health? Is it entirely controlled by matter and best maintained by material, medical practices?

With all the debate about access to modern health care going on, it sometimes surprises people to learn that my preferred form of health care is almost 2000 years old and freely accessible to anyone - Christian healing. By Christian healing, I am referring to healing through an understanding of God, as practiced by Jesus and his disciples. Jesus expected his followers to heal as well. He told them, "You shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free", "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also", and "These signs shall follow them that believe ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover".

Healing was an important part of the early Christian church. Although today, Christians of many denominations experience healing through their own prayers and the prayers of others, Christian healing is widely ignored or regarded as a supplement to medical care. This is largely because few understand how to consistently practice and achieve results through Christian healing.

In 1875, a New England woman, Mary Baker Eddy, published a book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, that explained the Science of Christian healing. Throughout my life, I have turned to this Science, which Eddy named Christian Science, to heal physical ills and injuries, as well as difficulties in my work and personal relationships. In my experience, Christian healing has met my needs reliably and effectively. You can read about a few of my healings by following the "Healing" label on the right side of this blog.

Here is one more example of how Christian healing met the needs of my family:

One day, my five-year old son developed a fever and spots appeared on his body. We took him to a Christian Science nurse in our community who gave us practical advice on how to care for our son and advised us to report his situation to the county health department.

The woman I reached by telephone at the county health department asked a number of questions about my son's symptoms. She said that this was a sickness going around in the community and that there was really nothing to do about it other than to keep my son away from other children and let it run it's course. She described to me all the physical symptoms and discomfort I would witness in my son over the next several days and asked me to call her back in three days to let her know how he was doing.

After concluding my telephone call with the county health department, I called a Christian Science practitioner who agreed to pray for my son. My wife and I also prayed as we had learned from our study of Eddy's book. Our prayers were not helpless pleadings for God to heal my son, but conscientious, heartfelt affirmations of the truth about God and His creation, man, as proclaimed by the Bible and explained in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Among other truths, the Bible tells us that God made man in His image, that God gave man dominion over all the earth, that God loves us, and that now are we the sons of God.

After about an hour of consecrated prayer, I felt calm and confident in God's presence and care. Shortly, the fever left my son and he began playing normally. The next day the spots that had been all over his body faded and disappeared. He was his normal, happy self!

After three days, as directed, I called and spoke with the woman at the county health department. She asked if various, specific symptoms had appeared since our previous conversation. I told her "No", and explained how the fever had left and the spots had disappeared. There was a long silence on the phone. Then she replied, "I guess it wasn't what I thought it was."

Whether or not the illness was what she thought it was, or whether disease in general is what medical science thinks it is, the cure, Christian healing, is something we should all know more about. I continue to explore this method of health care, which, although revealed long ago, continues to be an idea far in advance of the thinking of our times. Christian healing is available for you to explore also. You don't have to wait for Congress to make it available to you!

The Gift of Christmas

2009-12-07T12:02:00.000-06:00

The evergreen conifer tree with wrapped gift packages under its boughs is a common symbol of Christmas. To me, a more meaningful symbol would be a grove of aspens. Why the aspen tree? Aspen trees grow in colonies. If we could look below the surface under these trees we would see that each one is a sprout growing from a single massive root system. The aspen is therefore an excellent symbol of our unity with God and one another. This unity is the basis for the brotherhood, hope, and peace of the Christmas message.

The unity of God and man is described by the prophet that, foretelling the advent of Christmas, wrote "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew). Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, described the sign of Emmanuel, or Christ, as "a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself...". The apostle Paul also spoke of this gift of the Christ when he wrote to the Ephesians "God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. ...For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus (New Living Translation)".

Each one of us is forever unified with the Christ, the divine Spirit whose appearance, presence, and activity in the human experience the Christmas season celebrates. In my experience, I find that a conscious recognition and acknowledgment of my own and others' unity in Christ and of the Christ influence present in everyone's consciousness resolves conflicts, enhances receptivity to divine guidance, and brings physical healing. The true gift of Christmas is the revelation of our unity with Christ and this is best symbolized, not by wrapped boxes under a conifer, but by the single root system found under the aspen!

"Before they call, I will answer"

2009-11-11T16:59:00.005-06:00

On a visit to Japan, I was intrigued by an incident I observed at a Shinto shrine. The shrine was located in a beautiful Japanese garden. As my family was walking past it, a man came up and placed a food offering on the altar of the shrine. He then pulled vigorously on the shrine’s bell rope, ringing its bell loudly. My son, who had studied Japanese culture, explained that the man was waking up the god that lived in the shrine so that the god would see the offering that had been left for it and respond to the man’s prayers.

This incident prompted me to consider my own interaction with God. How do I communicate with God? Do I have to do something to get God’s attention? Is God asleep and inattentive to or unaware of my needs?

I’m experiencing that God is always aware of and responding to my needs (for examples, follow my blog links on “Healing” and “Guidance and Direction”). I love the prophet Isaiah’s description of God’s awareness of us. He quoted God as saying “Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65)

But what about when we can’t seem to feel God’s presence or God doesn’t seem to respond? The Bible tells us of the experience of Joseph (See Genesis chapters 37 to 47). For much of the first part of his life it seemed that anything but God was in control. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. As a slave in a foreign land, he refused to sin against his master and consequently was lied about and thrown in prison. However, all these seemingly untoward circumstances brought Joseph to where God needed him to be and Joseph was able to serve Pharaoh and save the Egyptian people and his own family from famine.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Divinity is always ready. Semper paratus [always ready] is Truth’s motto.” God is always ready. Perhaps when we don’t witness God’s direction in our lives it is because we are not ready to see it. Or perhaps we don’t need to see God’s direction; we just need to trust that God is unfolding everything according to His plan.

I’ve experienced times too when I’ve wondered where God is and if God hears me. When this happens, I’m learning to resist the temptation to be anxious and bemoan the apparent absence of God’s response. I am recognizing that it is material sense and human will that is impatiently demanding answers and signs from God. These times are a test of my obedience and faith. Humility, meekness, unwavering trust in God, and my willingness to wait on Him are demanded. Psalms says: “Be still and know that I am God”. This is a time to exercise patience – a patience that is a calm trust and steadfast acknowledgment that God is in control. It is a time to exercise humility, and like Jesus, say “Thy will be done”. It is a time to be grateful – to remember my blessings and be grateful for even the smallest ones.

I don’t need to ring a bell to get God’s attention. Like Joseph, I can patiently await the logic of events. Sooner or later God’s hand is apparent and I see that God has always been actively responding to my need.

The Language of the Christ

2009-11-06T21:14:00.006-06:00

I was devastated. A person that I had trusted had dealt treacherously with me, effectively sabotaging a month of difficult work and leaving me in an awkward relationship with those that I had been working with. Not knowing what to do or where to turn, I went for a long walk to clear my thought. I knew that I needed more than human advice and comfort. I needed the Christ.

The Christ is God's power and love appearing to us and touching our lives in humanly practical ways that save and heal. Mary Baker Eddy tells us in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that we don't have to wait for the Christ to come. Instead, she describes the Christ as "...a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself...".

But how do we hear the Christ? In what language does it speak to us? As I walked that day, I listened and listened, but no words came to my consciousness. I stopped walking and in desperation I asked myself, "Why can't I hear the Christ? I know that the Christ is here, speaking to me now."

As I stood there I looked up. It was late autumn, but the trees still had a colorful tint, the sun was shining brightly, white wisps of clouds were being painted across the brilliant blue sky, the air was cool, but comfortable. I gazed at this scene for several minutes. I realized that the Christ was speaking to me at that moment, but not in English, Spanish, Chinese, or any human words at all. It was the language of the Christ. I can't repeat the message - I don't know words that can adequately express the message that I received. I can only tell you that I felt at peace.

Seeing God's Plan for You

2009-10-09T10:43:00.008-05:00

In the Bible book of Psalms we read: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Ps 119). I like to think of this passage when I look to God for guidance. God always has a plan of goodness for us. However, this plan may not fit our preconceived ideas of what we want. Sometimes we have to open our eyes (lay aside our preconceptions and move forward with trust) to see God’s plan.

Here is an example. My wife, son, and I were on vacation in Japan. It was late November, the leaves were changing color, and there were signs of the approaching winter. We had planned to go for a hike in the mountains to enjoy the fall colors. The sky was clear when our bus pulled out of Hiroshima and I was excited with anticipation of a beautiful autumn hike. However, as we drove further into the mountains it became overcast and rain began falling. When the bus pulled into the small mountain town where we had planned to start our hike, we saw to our dismay that snow had fallen the night before. A steady light rain was now falling, turning the snow into a sloppy, white blanket.

The bus pulled away, leaving us shivering in the cold rain in this seemingly deserted mountain town. What should we do now? I always feel that God is guiding me, but for a moment this seemed like something had gone wrong with God’s plan. We had several hours to spend before a bus was scheduled to come that would take us back to the city. What should we do? Where could we spend the time? I resisted the temptation to feel discouraged and sorry for ourselves. I knew God was with us – He is always with each one of us. I knew that God was the only cause and causes only good for His children. God has a plan for us every day and we can trust that plan.

“Let’s go take a look”, I suggested. Most of the shops and cafes along the single street of this small town were closed. It was clearly the off-season. Near the end of the street, not far from where we had planned to start our hike, there was an open shop. By the door were three umbrellas on sale – only $5 each. Were they there for us ...? We purchased the umbrellas and continued on.

Arriving at the trailhead, we paused. Alone, staring at the water-saturated, snow-covered path with a steady drizzle falling on our umbrellas, we hesitated and questioned whether we should proceed. The sense that God was guiding us prevailed and we hiked forward up the trail.

What a wonderful day we had!

The trail led up a narrow, wooded gorge. The leaves were at their peak color and starting to fall. White snow, brilliant wet leaves, and swirling mist combined to create a magical setting. Unlike our other walks on this trip, in which we had been consistently accompanied by crowds of other tourists, we had this magical wonderland to ourselves. One of the few people we did meet on the trail kindly offered to take a picture of us with our camera. We hiked all day and arrived back in town just in time to catch our bus.

That was one of the most memorable days on our trip. Yes, the scenery had been beautiful and we enjoyed our time together, but best of all was that affirmation of God’s law of goodness and that experience of opening our eyes to behold wondrous things.

Beholding the Perfect Man

2009-09-06T20:12:00.004-05:00

“Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.” – Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

This passage by Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and the discoverer of Christian Science, presents an important point in Christian healing – the need to hold a correct view of man. What is the correct view of man? In the Bible in the book of Genesis it says that God created man in His image and likeness and that God saw that His creation was very good. A correct view of man recognizes that only goodness and other Godlike qualities are a legitimate part of man’s identity and expression.

I’ve shared examples in this blog of experiences I’ve had where holding the correct view of man (man created and maintained by God in His own likeness) heals sickness and injuries. Holding this correct view in thought also heals character flaws and conflicts between individuals. It is tempting to let our thought focus exclusively on another’s faults and the wrong we perceive they do, but when we make a consistent effort to hold the correct view – the perfect man in God’s own likeness – the situation is healed for all parties involved.

Let me give you an example: I took a course in digital engineering when I was in graduate school. This was a laboratory class with a couple of hundred students and a half-dozen or so teaching assistants (TAs). We had an assignment each week to design and build some digital electronic device such as a clock, calendar, or calculator. The design had to meet certain exact specifications. When our weekly project was finished, a TA would review it and either approve it and mark the assignment as complete or reject it and require that some corrections be made to the design.

Early on in the class my friends and I figured out that some TAs were more lenient than others and would accept work that was pretty good, but not perfect. One TA, I’ll call her Eleanor, demanded perfection. This was a class and field of study dominated by males and sometimes we suspected her of trying to put us in our place. She was so strict and picky that we avoided having her check our work at all.

One day I completed my project and the only TA around was Eleanor. I was sure my design was good, so I asked her to check. She examined it closely and after some clever tests found a flaw. My work was rejected and had to be revised.

I was angry! How could she be so exacting and unfair! How could I have been careless and allowed her to check my work! It would take me hours to modify my design to correct the minor, inconsequential (I thought) flaw she had uncovered! As you can see I was not beholding the perfect man of God’s creating. I had an incorrect view of Eleanor … and myself.

As I wrestled with these thoughts, it occurred to me that when I got a real job, my employer and the people that relied on my work wouldn’t want a product that was flawed. Suddenly, I felt humbled and my view of both Eleanor and me was corrected. I realized that Eleanor wasn’t being unfair or tyrannical. She was trying to teach me skills that I needed. And I realized that I didn’t want to get away with doing mediocre work. I wanted my work to be well done.

For the remainder of the year I didn’t hesitate to have Eleanor check my work. It didn’t upset me if she found and required me to correct small problems because I wasn’t satisfied either with something that wasn’t perfect. I wanted my work to be just right.

One day the last week of school, I dropped by the laboratory to turn in my last two projects. As I opened the door I saw that Eleanor was the only one in the room. Suddenly, I froze and the thought came “come back later when a different TA is here”. I was surprised by this thought, but I hesitated only a moment. Then I remembered who I knew Eleanor really was (a fair person of integrity) and who I wanted to be (a person that did good work). I said to myself, “she’s fair, and I only do good work”.

I walked in and put my projects down in front of Eleanor. To my surprise, she didn’t examine them. She merely took out the grade book and checked them off as being completed. As I stood there in puzzlement, she looked up and said, “I don’t need to check your projects because I know you wouldn’t turn something in unless it was well done.”

Wow! Not only was I witnessing what I knew to be true about Eleanor – that she was a fair person, but she was bearing witness to what I had been claiming about my identity. The tyrannical TA and the slipshod student (sinning mortal men) had disappeared from our experience. We were beholding the man of God’s creating!

Coping with Change

2009-08-18T12:09:00.000-05:00

One constant in human existence is that it is always changing. We are confronted by changes at all levels and magnitudes - from global climate change to changes in family structure and routine, economic and career changes, the passing on of dear friends and relatives, and even changes in our bodies. Some people welcome change as an opportunity for progress, but to others change can be an unsettling time of uncertainty.

Last summer I watched a bird family cope with change. The nest was located up under the eve of my kitchen window and it made for a snug and safe home for three birds that hatched there. One morning two of the young birds simply jumped out of the nest and flew after their parents. The third youngster wasn't so sure about this change. He paced back and forth with great concern while the rest of his family called to him from a nearby tree. Finally, he stepped too close to the edge and tumbled out of the nest to the ground. He sat there for a few moments and then flew up into the tree to join the rest of his family.

Is there anything that can help us embrace the changes that come into our lives with the confidence of the first two birds rather then the fear and awkwardness of their more timid sibling?

Here are some ideas I've found it helpful to lean on in times of change.

In the Bible book of Malachi, God proclaims the fact of His unchangeableness and the consequent protective benefit to us: "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed."
God's love for man is continually manifested in the Christ, the loving divine influence ever-present with each one of us. The Bible book of Hebrews declares the permanence of the Christ with these words "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for-ever."
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, explains that this divine influence is "ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime ...".

An unchanging protective God. An unchanging, ever-present divine influence repeating itself in our consciousness. These are significant and powerful truths we can ground ourselves on when we are facing change!

A poem written in 1850 by Anna Waring sums up these unchanging truths.

In heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear.
And safe is such confiding, for nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me, my heart may low be laid,
But, God is round about me, and can I be dismayed?

Where ever he may guide me, no want shall turn me back.
My shepherd is beside me, and nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh. His sight is never dim;
He knows the way he taketh, and I shall walk with Him.

Green pastures are before me which yet I have not seen.
Bright skies will soon be o'er me where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure. My path in life is free.
My Savior has my treasure and He will walk with me.

"I am with you always" - The Christ's Roadside Assistance Plan

2009-08-03T07:48:00.000-05:00

The rhythmic hum of the engine fell silent! We had already driven ten hours that day and had a couple more to go before we would reach our destination for the night, when suddenly the van engine quit. We coasted to the shoulder of the North Dakota highway we were traveling on. We were out of gas! Within minutes a state trooper pulled up and asked if he could help. He drove me to a gas station, waited while I purchased a can of gasoline, and then returned me to my vehicle. We were on our way again with minimal delay and an appreciation for the warm hospitality of the North Dakota State Patrol.

Wouldn't it be nice if such assistance was available anywhere at anytime for the road of life?

It is available! It's the Christ!

Jesus ended his earthly ministry with these words: "Lo, I am with you always". This didn't mean that the human man, Jesus, would always be around, everywhere in the world at once - that's not physically possible. Instead, Jesus was referring to the manifestation of God's presence and power, which he embodied and expressed. This divine idea, the Christ, is always present and manifests itself in practical ways to bring help and healing to every individual. In my case, the Christ brought a quick solution to our need for gasoline. No, Jesus wasn't driving the patrol car, but the divine influence, the Christ, was directing the trooper to be where he was when he was needed.

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and the discoverer of Christian Science, describes the Christ as "a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime, 'To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense], and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised'".

So why does the Christ seem to be absent sometimes? Why do some problems seem to go unresolved? The answer is the same as in Jesus's day. Thousands of people that he lived among failed to recognize the presence of the Christ. In some cases there was no room at the inn - no room in individual or community consciousness to let the Christ-idea in. Others were looking for a Messiah, but their preconceived ideas prevented them from recognizing and accepting the Christ as a carpenter's son. Then there were those that didn't want to change their comfortable or profitable ways or give up their positions of power. Still others were simply ignorant and didn't hear the news about Jesus or attributed his miracles to John the Baptist, Elias, Jeremias, or "one of the prophets".

I've learned, as I've tried to document in this blog, that when I am sincerely and humbly open to the Christ, God's presence and power, I experience this benevolent divine power in practical, effective ways. You also can experience Christ's roadside assistance in your life if you make the effort to learn about the Christ and are humble enough to listen for the Christ speaking to your consciousness.
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Who am I? - Glaciers and God's Plan for Us

2009-07-25T22:35:00.008-05:00

Do you ever wonder if your life has any significance? Could you be part of some grand, divine plan and if so, why isn't this more evident in your life? Glaciers suggest an interesting analogy related to these questions. Glaciers are "rivers" of solid ice which to human sense move imperceptibly (measured in inches per year), but steadily, gradually carving broad valleys through majestic mountains. No one doubts the power of a glacier and all agree that the peaks, ridges, valleys, and lakes that result from glacial action are awe-inspiring and beautiful.

Think for a moment about what forms a glacier - individual snowflakes! Tiny, fragile snowflakes are the building blocks that form and propel a massive, powerful glacier. In cold mountain regions, snowflakes fall, accumulate, are packed down and compressed into ice. If snow accumulation exceeds seasonal melting, the ice gets thicker until it is hundreds or thousands of feet thick. The weight of the ice eventually causes it to flow away from the areas of accumulation and as it flows it slowly tears away and wears away rock and transports the rock tens or hundreds of miles from its source.

You are a snowflake in God's kingdom. Considered individually, it might appear that your life isn't particularly significant. But you are part of God's glacier! Together with other snowflake individuals, God is using you to create a beautiful landscape in His kingdom.

Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer and founder of the Christian Science church, wrote this about man's identity and purpose to the members of one of her church branches: "As an active portion of one stupendous whole, goodness identifies man with universal good. Thus may each member of this church rise above the oft-repeated inquiry, What am I? to the scientific response: I am able to impart truth, health, and happiness, and this is my rock of salvation and my reason for existing."

Each one of us is part of universal good and is able to impart truth, health, and happiness. This is who we are.

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The Healing Power of the First Commandment

2009-07-18T09:43:00.011-05:00

Do you accept situations at face value? Do you allow human perception or opinion to dictate your experience? Do you give-in to discouragement or fear or allow yourself to wallow endlessly in self-pity? Does your life seem to be at the mercy of mindless, random forces?

I have found that it is important to examine situations that arise throughout my day and the thoughts that come to me about those situations. I challenge the validity of thoughts and situations that do not originate from God. My basis for doing this is the first Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me”. This commandment assures me that God is the only power and influence over my life. I also know that God causes only good in my experience. Speaking God’s word, the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29)

Acknowledging only the power and influence of the one God and holding steadfast, heart-felt confidence in God’s goodness brings healing. A recent experience I had illustrates this. I was participating in some outdoor games with a group of boys and young men. We were running barefoot, playing a game that involved sudden stops and quick turns. At one point I slipped on the grass and two of my toes were bent sharply backwards. As a result, my foot was painful to stand on and I could not move the affected toes.

The first thoughts that came to me were that I couldn’t participate in the activities anymore that day and that I might not be able to do the backpacking and ice climbing I had planned to do in just a few weeks. I immediately challenged these negative thoughts and instead asked myself “What does God know about this situation? What is God doing with me now?”

From what I’ve learned of God’s goodness I understood that God does not cause pain and incapacity. Mechanical forces, physiology, and medical belief were not gods that could overrule God's power or influence what God was doing with me. An injured foot was not a product of God’s goodness now or ever. As I contemplated these truths, the pain immediately lessened. Although I still could not move my toes, I confidently rejoined the activities and was able to run freely.

The next morning when I got up, I was again confronted with thoughts of pain, immobility of toes, and a difficulty in walking. I recognized this situation as a temptation to believe in other gods and, again, I challenged these thoughts in light of the Biblical assurance of one good, all-powerful God. I silently and earnestly considered what I knew was true about God and me at that moment. The pain soon diminished and I was able to go about my normal activities.

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer, described this healing power experienced when thought is kept faithful to the one God. Using the term “Mind” as a descriptive synonym for God, she wrote, “Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God’s unerring direction and thus bring out harmony.” Refusing to accept limitation and injury, and focusing on the spiritual truth about God and man as presented by the Bible, were my way of leaving "the mortal basis of belief" and uniting with the one Mind. This action brought out harmony, healing.

A few weeks after this incident, I went backpacking for several days on a glacier. On the last day of this trip, I was ice climbing when I remembered the temptation I’d faced to fear that I would not be able to participate in these sports. I could move my toes freely, hike for miles carrying a heavy pack, and climb without any limitation. I am grateful to know and serve the one all-powerful and always good God!

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalms 37

Being of One Accord in One Place

2009-05-17T21:52:00.005-05:00

Getting along with one another seems to be one of humanities biggest on-going challenges. It is for me sometimes too.

In the book of Acts in the Bible it tells about a time in the early formation of the church when Christians from many diverse backgrounds came together in “one accord in one place”. They were all inspired by the Holy Spirit and were of such oneness that even though many of them spoke different languages they could all understand one another’s words.

Is it possible today for people with diverse outlooks and opinions to come together in one accord in one place? I’ve had an experience that showed me there is a way to come together and be united in thought. The solution is to understand and acknowledge that God, the one ever present divine Mind, governs us all – and then hold steadfastly to this fact.

I was on a committee of five people representing three different government organizations. We were to review proposals submitted by contractors and to select one contractor to perform some important work. In the meetings leading up to our final meeting, there seemed to be a diversity of opinions on our committee as to what the best choice would be. We were scheduled to meet after lunch to make our final selection.

During lunch I decided to pray. My prayers were inspired by something that Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian writer and healer, wrote about God. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she defined the word Mind as a synonym for God. She wrote: “Mind is God. The exterminator of error is the great truth that God, good, is the only Mind”.

In my prayer, I affirmed that the one God, divine Mind, was the only Mind, that this Mind governs us all, and therefore there can’t be irresolvable, conflicting opinions. My affirmation was not a glib recital of words or mere wishful thinking. It was a silent, heartfelt acknowledgement of truth. I understood the truth of these words and calmly trusted in it.

When I went to the meeting there was at first noticeable tension. A committee member joked about bringing his bat to use to influence people. One person suggested that we start by having a secret vote just to see where we stood. We wrote down our votes, tossed them into a pile, and then proceeded to tally them.

To everyone’s amazement, we voted unanimously for the same contractor. The meeting was over in five minutes. Everyone just sat around the table saying “I can’t believe we all agreed on something so easily.”

Not all group decisions in my life have been arrived at so harmoniously – but there’s no reason they can’t be. This experience demonstrated a basic principle of God – that God is Mind and that divine Mind is reflected by each one of His creation. If we understandingly and persistently affirm and steadfastly hold to this basic truth we can expect to see it guide us and others into being of one accord in one place.

Some Thoughts on Turning Stones to Bread

2009-05-13T11:45:00.005-05:00

How can organizations and individuals deal with economic shortages? Our human sense of things may tell us the only solution is to have more of something we don’t have – such as more money, more time, or even more opportunities. I have been wondering if we are correctly identifying what it is that we need more of. Perhaps what we need is more spiritual recognition and acknowledgement of what constitutes our supply and who meets our needs.

The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus had been in the wilderness for many days and was facing a shortage of food. According to the Bible account, the devil came and tempted Jesus to use his personal power to turn stones to bread. Jesus refused to follow the devil’s advice, giving as his reason: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4). The Bible tells us that as a result of his steadfast reliance on God ,that angels came and took care of Jesus. We don’t know the specific form this care took, but whatever it was, Jesus’ needs were met.

It is interesting to note, that on a later occasion when Jesus was in the countryside with a large crowd of thousands of people that needed food, he again did not resort to turning stones to bread. Jesus calmly gave the people what he had – a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish – and trusted that this would be sufficient. And, it was!

In both of these cases, the answer to the problem did not involve obtaining more of some material substance. Jesus relied on what God had already provided and his trust in God’s provision was justified.

When I first left the home I grew up in to live on my own, I had an entry-level job with a small salary. Although I was very frugal about how I spent my money, I was concerned that there never seemed to be any money left over at the end of a month. My concern reached a climax when one of my monthly paychecks was lost in the mail.

As I pondered this situation it became clear that I had to look to God and not money to meet my needs. I realized that I was an employee of God, wholly dependent on Him for my supply and that what God supplied would always be sufficient to meet my needs.

From then on I felt secure about my financial situation. I still spent my money wisely, but I did not hoard it, worry about it, or spend undue hours making elaborate budgets. Although my income did not change right away, from that time on my bank account always had sufficient funds. I recognized that my finances were the human manifestation of God’s supply which is continuous and unfailing.

I had an opportunity to affirm these truths again a few years ago when I left my long term employer to be self-employed. My move coincided with a major stock market decline and business recession. I was tempted to be concerned about my income. Every time these concerns came I would turn my thought to contemplating these truths that I had learned before – that God is our real source of supply and that God supplies each of us out of His abundant and unwavering love for us. Once again, there was no need for me personally to “turn stones to bread”. The resources that were provided to me from God were sufficient for my needs.

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Follow this link for some more thoughts on turning stones to bread
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Taking Countermeasures Against Swine Flu

2009-04-28T14:18:00.014-05:00

Governments around the world are scrambling to take countermeasures against the spread of Swine Flu. These measures include restricting travel, distributing vaccines, and alerting the public.

What countermeasures can individuals take to protect the health of ourselves and society?

Jesus gave us many proofs that we can rely on the spiritual power that God bestows on man to defend ourselves and others from diseases of all kinds. The Gospels tell us of one instance when a father asked Jesus to heal his son that appeared to be suffering from what today might have been diagnosed as epilepsy. The Bible tells us that Jesus “rebuked” the evil and the boy was cured. A rebuke is a sharp reprimand or censure. Jesus was telling the disease that it had no place in or power over the man of God’s creating.

Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer, found that we too can bring healing by following Jesus’ example of firmly rebuking what has no legitimate part of God’s creation. She wrote in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Insist vehemently on the great fact which covers the whole ground, that God, Spirit, is all, and that there is none beside Him”. Speaking of disease as “error” she wrote “When error confronts you, withhold not the rebuke or the explanation which destroys error.”

This insistence or rebuke is not mere human will or wishful thinking. Our insistence is based on the truth presented in the Bible that God “created man in his own likeness”, gave man “dominion over all the earth”, and saw that everything that He made was “very good” (Genesis). This insistent rebuke is also based on the assurance given us by God through Moses in the Commandment that we need have “no other gods”. We also know that God wouldn’t purposely inflict disease on His creation, because the Bible tells us that “God is love” (John).

We can’t simply go through the motions of rebuking swine flu or other diseases. Eddy makes it clear that we have to understand what we’re talking about. She stated “be thoroughly persuaded in your own mind concerning the truth which you think or speak, and you will be the victor”. We can gain this understanding by studying the truth about man as presented in the Bible (if you don't know how to study the Bible, click here for a good tool). Eddy’s book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is also a good tool for understanding these Bible truths about man.

Every time we hear a news report about the threat of contagious disease, let’s do our part as citizens of the world to control and eliminate this threat by consciously rebuking the claim that there is a power besides God and insisting vehemently on the truth that God is lovingly caring for His creation.

Clear the Clouds From Your Life!

2009-04-01T09:41:00.005-05:00

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons evrywhere
Ive looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on evryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
(From "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell)

We probably can all identify with the sentiment Joni Mitchell expressed in these lyrics. Are clouds blocking the sunlight of your life?

I've found the ideas in the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures to be very effective for dispersing and dealing with the clouds that try to enter my experience. The author of this book, Mary Baker Eddy, experienced many cloudy periods in her life. She writes this about a time she was suffering from a serious injury resulting from a fall:

"When apparently near the confines of mortal existence, standing already within the shadow of the death-valley, I learned these truths in divine Science: that all real being is in God, the divine Mind, and that Life, Truth, and Love are all-powerful and ever-present; that the opposite of Truth, - called error, sin, sickness, disease, death,- is the false testimony of false material sense, of mind in matter; that this false sense evolves, in belief, a subjective state of mortal mind which this same so-called mind names matter, thereby shutting out the true sense of Spirit."

These truths Mrs. Eddy discovered helped her to fully recover from her injuries in a very short time. She recorded these, and other spiritual lessons she learned, in her book.

You can read this book online or purchase it online, at most major bookstores, or at any Christian Science Reading Room.

Christian Science Reading Rooms world-wide are holding an open house Thursday through Sunday, April 16-19. Come on in and get your own cloud-dispersing tool!

Follow the Road or Walk on Water?

2009-02-20T11:27:00.010-06:00

This picture is an inspirational reminder to me. It appears that one's only option is to turn right and follow the road. But there are other options. You could go straight ahead, walk across the water (or get into a boat), and explore that land in the distance. You could spread you arms (or fire up your jet-backpack) and soar into the sky. You could even realize that you aren't constrained at all by a physical form and just think yourself to another locale.

"Hold on there!" you say, "What have you been smoking?" Actually, I've been reading my Bible. At least two of those options were preformed by Jesus - walking on the water and being instantly somewhere else. And the Bible tells us that Elijah was taken up into the sky in a chariot of fire!

But these Bible events suggest more to me then just alternative forms of transportation.

Sometimes the road of life seems to be turning in a direction we don't want to go and there don't appear to be any options. We may feel that we are hopelessly locked into some path or situation that only leads to an undesirable ending. Age, finances, past deeds, ancestry, gender, health, education, personal skills, or any number of mortal circumstances form our road or wall it in. Ultimately, all human-life roads lead to death. How do we get off these roads? Is there a way to a better destination?

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy shows us how to get off the roadway of mortal existence. She writes: "Mortals must emerge from this notion of material life as all-in-all. They must peck open their shells with Christian Science, and look outward and upward." Eddy also gives us a starting point for this new direction of travel: "The starting-point of divine science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,-- that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle."

I can't describe this whole new way in a single blog entry - you can read all about it in Eddy's book. The many healings I've experienced prove to me that this way exists. So, when that big arrow sign looms ahead on my road of life and the destination being pointed to seems inconsistent with God's goodness and love for man, I don't just follow the road. I let the Christ and Christian Science show me the way. You can too!

No Expiration Date on Love

2009-01-08T12:17:00.004-06:00

A special part of Christmas is being together with family and friends and feeling their love. Giving and receiving seen from the right perspective is not about acquiring things, but is simply an outward expression of love toward, and interest in, one another.

What about loved ones that are no longer with us - those that have passed on or have in other ways and for various reasons temporarily or permanently moved out of our lives? Has the love we once received from them or gifted to them expired? Is our love for one another like the bottle of milk in our refrigerator – something good for a brief period, but eventually consumed or spoiled by the passage of time? Are our memories of love exchanged in the past mere substance-less shadows that no longer bless the giver or receiver?

This Christmas, I was thinking about past gifts exchanged and missing the opportunity to renew that expression of love with individuals no longer present in my life. I remembered something from the Bible book of James: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God’s gifts are permanent, inexhaustible – they never expire. This truth tells us that to the extent our past giving to others and their giving to us was an expression of God’s love, the blessings of that love-exchange go on forever. There is no expiration date on a gift from Divine Love!

I find it comforting to know that my past love-based gifts continue to bless my loved ones and that I can continue to be blessed by their gifts. I don’t mean that my dad, who passed on a number of years ago, continues to be blessed by that tool I gave him or that the toy truck I once received from him is of practical use to me. The tool and the truck weren’t perfect gifts from above. However, the love that inspired both of us and that we expressed by those gifts was from above. Our love was a reflection of God’s love for man and an expression of man’s identity as the image of God who is Love. That love has never expired and both my dad and I can continue to feel that love and be blessed by it! This truth must apply to all Love-inspired giving. Love given will forever continue in some way to bless both the recipient and the giver.

The Light of Christmas

2008-12-19T09:04:00.005-06:00

As a material, theoretical life-basis is found to be a misapprehension of existence, the spiritual and divine Principle of man dawns upon human though, and leads it to "where the young child was," - even to the birth of a new-old idea, to the spiritual sense of being and of what Life includes. Thus the whole earth will be transformed by Truth on its pinions of light, chasing away the darkness of error.

From Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

My Christmas Story

2008-12-17T17:05:00.013-06:00

This is the season for Christmas stories. Most well-known, of course, is the original Christmas story found in the Bible. You hear this story read or acted out in Christian churches of all denominations. Since this first Christmas story, many other Christmas stories have appeared in print and on television: “The Little Drummer Boy”, “Amahl and the Night Visitors”, various versions of Dickens’s classic “A Christmas Carol”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Sesame Street Christmas”, and many, many other Christmas stories.

To one degree or another, these stories are about lives that have been changed by perceiving the truth, presence, and transforming power of peace, love, and brotherhood. What makes these Christmas stories, whether their author’s recognized and intended it or not, is that all these stories are about the coming of the Christ to human thought and experience.

Though we may not have recognized them as such, we all have our own Christmas stories. Unlike the Hollywood versions, our Christmas stories have taken place throughout the year – not just in late December. Though perhaps not as dramatic and definitely not as well-known as the popular Christmas stories, our own Christmas stories are just as powerful, significant, and life-changing.

I’d like to share one of my Christmas stories.

I inured my knee playing hockey. For a few days I could not walk. It was difficult and painful to move my knee. I didn’t know what was wrong. My immobility gave me a wonderful opportunity to sit and pray. I don’t remember all the thoughts I prayed and received in prayer, but I remember these. I was convinced that I was not waiting for a material condition to change, but rather that my God-given wholeness was intact, complete, indestructible, right then and there. I knew that God, through His Christ, was sending me the ideas, inspiration, and insight I needed to awake immediately to my healthy condition. I wasn’t waiting for God- God was waiting for me.

Over these days of prayer, the Christ, which I like to think of as the presence of God’s power and the power of God’s presence, became clearer to my thought. At the end of the fourth day the presence of the Christ suddenly became such a reality to me that I sat up, put my feet over the side of the bed, and stood up*. The pain was gone! I walked slowly with crutches at first, but gradually better and better. I went to work the next day without the aid of crutches. I resumed playing hockey three weeks after the injury. Two months later I went to the mountains for a week of skiing and hiking. I participated fully in those activities without fear, restriction or pain. Fifteen years later I’m still playing hockey, skiing, and hiking and have with no trace of the problem. The healing has been complete and permanent. My only doctor or therapist throughout this experience was the Christ, God’s wonderful gift to man.

This experience was more for me then just a physical healing. The awakening of my thought to the presence of the Christ was a life-changing experience that eventually led to this blog that records how the Christ continues to influence and transform my life.

Do you have a Christmas story that you'd like to share?

*See published testimony in the Christian Science Sentinel, November 27, 2000, p21.

Celebrating Christmas

2008-11-28T23:27:00.014-06:00

I’ve spent the past two weeks in Japan. Like in America this time of year, the stores and streets in Japan are decorated with Christmas ornaments and trees, and holiday music is played in public areas. What is different from America is that less than one percent of the Japanese population is Christian. When I asked why they were celebrating Christmas, I was told that the Japanese people like the idea of peace, love, and giving to one another.

I have no complaints about non-Christians celebrating Christmas and I’ll even admit that the Japanese idea of Christmas is no different or less complete than that of many Americans. Witnessing this non-Christian celebration of Christmas has caused me to examine my own motives and actions in what Christmas means to me and how I celebrate this special season. In particular, I’ve been contemplating something written by Mary Baker Eddy, a 19th and early 20th century Christian healer and writer. She wrote:

In different ages the divine idea assumes different forms, according to humanity’s needs. In this age it assumes, more intelligently than ever before, the form of Christian healing. This is the babe we are to cherish.

I cherish the opportunities I’ve had this past year to experience the "babe" of Christian healing and to share Christian healing with others (Click on the “Healing” label at right for some examples). While it is nice to experience relief from physical and mental discomfort, what I am really grateful for is that each healing is evidence of the Christ - Emanuel, God-with-us. With this perspective, Christmas becomes a celebration, not of some past religious event or of some noble human actions, but of a present, universal truth – God’s kingdom here and now. That is something else we all can celebrate!

One God and Father of All Does the Healing

2008-10-17T11:16:00.015-05:00

I've been thinking about the experience I had earlier this month changing a light bulb (see "Know the Truth and the Truth Will Make You Free"). The point I've been marveling at is that when I prayed for God to show me how to change the light bulb, God didn't respond by telling me how to do it, leaving me to complete the task on my own. Instead, God took me and changed the light bulb! It was a joint activity, but God was firmly in control.

I think that says something important about who we are, our relationship to God, and what the goal of prayer should be. We aren't separated from God, praying to get His attention. God doesn't respond to our prayers by handing us something to use to go off and fix our problems ourselves. We are one with God and God does His will through us, expresses Himself as us.

As the apostle Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians, "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all." We tend to forget our unity with God and like the prodigal son in Jesus's parable, we go off and try to do things on our own. I once heard Keith Womack, a Christian Science Practitioner, explain this relationship this way: "God is the doer, Christ is the doing, man is the done". The purpose of prayer is to bring ourselves back into consciousness of our unity with our divine Father so that He can act through us.

I had a chance to put this idea of God being the doer into practice this week. I was lifting a canoe and strained my back. As a result, it was uncomfortable for me to do pretty much anything but sit still. If I moved the wrong way my body froze with pain. I prayed, as I had with the light bulb changing incident mentioned earlier, by getting my thought focused on the truth about God and my identity as His creation. It was clear to me that God didn't create or cause strained muscles or painful conditions. God created me to express strength and comfort. I was really a spiritual being, not at the mercy of a material body or "laws" of human physiology. I was convinced of this truth.

I struggled to put these truths into practice, but I didn't seem to have any success. The physical evidence of an injured muscle persisted and it seemed that it would be awhile before it got well. The next day, my condition was unchanged. Then, I remembered the light bulb lesson. Did I need to struggle to heal myself or did I just need stand firmly on the truth, but let God do the healing? I handed the responsibility to God. "It's in your hands. You are the healer.", I said - and I meant it.

I went about working at my desk on my tasks for the day. About an hour later, I needed to get up to get something. I began to rise gingerly and realized that I could move without pain! There was just a slight soreness in my back and even this soreness was gone in a few hours. I love this experience! It is a wonderful lesson that God is with us and cares for us. Our responsibility is to know God and what God is doing. God is the healer!

Know the Truth and the Truth Will Make You Free!

2008-10-02T21:38:00.004-05:00

Last week, I had an experience that is a good example of how prayer works and how God works in our lives. I needed to replace light bulbs in a large ceiling fixture. The bulbs were enclosed within the fixture, so to access them I had to first remove the shade. I'd replaced bulbs in fixtures like this one before, but for some reason I could not figure out how to get the shade off this particular fixture. I tried pulling down, pushing sideways, twisting, and lifting up. I searched for a release button along the bottom, sides, and top. I tried everything I could think of. When I was thoroughly stumped, I'd go away for a period of time to let my frustration cool and then I'd come back and try all over again.

Finally, my human efforts exhausted, I decided to pray. This is how I prayed. First, I acknowledged that God is the divine Mind - the source of all wisdom, the creator of all, all-knowing, all-wise. I reasoned that the wisdom of God must include everything there is too know about this light fixture. I pondered these truths to see if I really understood and believed them, to see if I had any doubts. I felt that I was thoroughly persuaded of these truths.

Next, I acknowledged that since God had created me, as it says in the Bible, as His image and likeness, blessed, and very good, that I must include in my identity all I needed to know about that light fixture. I examined my thought about these points as well and concluded that I had no doubt of their truth.

My prayers didn't seem to result in any sudden, clear flash of insight. I felt calm and expectant, but the human situation hadn't changed. "Okay", I thought, "Now what do I do?" As I listened patiently for direction, the thought came to me that I couldn't solve the problem just standing there. I had to at least climb up on the ladder. So, up I went.

Perched on the ladder, I examined the light fixture again. I noticed that there was an inch or two of space between the top of the shade and the ceiling. In previous attempts to remove the shade, I had thrust my hands into this space and felt around for a screw or some type of latch that would release the shade. This time, I felt curiosity about what the top of the fixture actually looked like. Responding to that curiosity, I attempted to peer into the space. To get my eye in position to do this, I had to turn my head sideways and press the side of my face against the ceiling. Without thinking about it, I placed my hands on either side of the shade to steady myself. As a result of this maneuver, the shade of the fixture slid downwards in my hands exposing the light bulbs. It turned out that the shade simply needed to be pulled from the right position, in the right direction, with the right amount of force. Somehow, my previous attempts hadn't had that right combination.

Needless to say, I was very grateful that my prayers were answered! As I thought about this incident, I realized that I hadn't been conscious of receiving any specific instructions from God about what to do. I had simply responded, almost without thinking, to what seemed like my own impulses. Somehow, my human efforts had yielded to divine direction. What had changed?

The only difference between this attempt and my previous efforts to remove the fixture was that this time I began by thoughtfully praying and acknowledging the spiritual truth about God and man and I was thoroughly persuaded that these ideas were true. Jesus told his followers "Know the truth, and the truth shall make your free".

In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian healer, describes Jesus' prayers as "conscientious protests of Truth, - of man's likeness to God and of man's unity with Truth and Love." Further on in her book she writes: "Mentally and silently plead the case scientifically for Truth. You may vary the arguments to meet the peculiar or general symptoms of the case you treat, but be thoroughly persuaded in your own mind concerning the truth which you think or speak, and you will be the victor."

This effective form of prayer - sincerely knowing the spiritual truth about a situation - is universal. This prayer of deeply-felt truth can be applied by anyone, any where, under any circumstance. It can help change light bulbs - and it can heal the world!

Where is God When tragedy Strikes?

2008-08-21T10:00:00.009-05:00

Tragic events, such as the recent crash of an airliner in Spain, prompt any God-believing person to ask "Where is God in this?" At first glance it may seem like God wasn't there at all, or that God was powerless to prevent the accident, or that God caused it for some reason only God knows. I don't believe any of these conclusions is true.

Tragedies are like clouds or fog obscuring a landscape. The cloud never alters the landscape and has no power to alter it. We can be confident that the landscape remains complete and whole. We'll see the complete landscape when wind and sun eventually remove the clouds. When the clouds of tragedy obscure the landscape of God's kingdom we can use the sun and wind of prayer, gratitude, and spiritual discernment to aid in dispelling these clouds.

If we look closer at this tragic situation we see the brave rescue crews rushing to save survivors, compassionate friends, neighbors, and even strangers reaching out to comfort and support the relatives of victims, caring medical personnel using their greatest skill and knowledge to aid the injured, and concerned aviation experts and government officials searching for clues that will help improve airline safety and prevent repeat events. These benevolent actions are signs of God's presence and activity. Our grateful acknowledgement of each of these signs will help everyone to see and experience more of God's presence.

For the survivors and relatives of victims, there can and will be healing. Our affirmation that the healing Christ is already present and embracing these dear people is needed and helpful. Jesus's declaration that "...all things are possible to him that believeth" shows that all of us, regardless of our apparent physical ability to respond to tragic events, have a spiritual responsibility to respond with our prayers. This prayerful response is itself God inspired and directed.

What of those that died in this tragic event? Are they beyond the reach of God? Is there any hope or help for them? Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection give us the answer. Even when Jesus had died to physical sense he was not beyond the reach of God. Even if it is beyond our understanding and capability to demonstrate this fact today, we can gratefully acknowledge the truth of God's care that Jesus revealed to us and affirm that this care applies to all those that have passed from this human experience.

Where is God when tragedy strikes? God is never absent or powerless or inactive! As more individuals understand and affirm these truths the effects of tragedies will be healed and future tragedies prevented. Jesus said: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Our affirmative knowing of spiritual truth helps to free everyone from the clouds of tragedy.

Forgiveness and the Lesson of the Cross

2008-08-08T18:28:00.006-05:00

Learning to forgive is one of the most difficult and important lessons in life. Forgiveness can be particularly difficult in situations where we believe that we have done nothing to deserve the treatment received, we've been grievously harmed, and the perpetrator feels no guilt or remorse and does not seek our forgiveness. To genuinely forgive in a situation like this, one must genuinely acknowledge the allness of God and obey the first Commandment - "No other gods before me". To not forgive is to continue to believe that someone or something apart from God had or has some power or influence over our lives.

The lesson of the Cross is that there are no other gods. Jesus showed by his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection that the apparent hatred and lies of his opponents had no real or lasting power to alter God's plan for him. Sure, Jesus' opponents ruined his day (to put it mildly). They publicly lied about him. They caused him unimaginable pain and suffering. They killed him. And they had no regrets for what they had done. Things don't get much worse then that. But the opponents of Jesus were unable to destroy, in fact they aided, God's mission for Jesus.

Life isn't about what we want for ourselves. Life is about what God wants for us. That's why in the midst of his cross-experience Jesus could say "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." He knew that no one could alter God's plan for him. This isn't to say that God plans for us or wants us to suffer. I don't believe that for a moment. Jesus' teachings were all about God's great love for us. Jesus demonstrated that no matter what enemies tried to do to him, they could not separate him from God's love and God's gift of eternal life.

Joseph recognized this. His brother's took his coat from him and sold him as a slave. But when Joseph eventually became Pharaoh's right-hand man and had the opportunity to exact revenge on his brothers, he declined. "Don't feel badly", he said to his brothers, "God sent me here ahead of you to save lives." Joseph recognized that God was in complete control of his life. He recognized that there were no other individuals (or gods) that could alter God's plan for him.

Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian leader and healer, wrote in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown."

Sons of God - We Shall Be Like Him

2008-08-02T12:03:00.002-05:00

I've written an earlier blog about the Whirlpool Galaxy and what it teaches us about the immensity of God's power and presence. One dot of light in this picture of the galaxy is a cluster of stars! This galaxy is 50,000 light-years across and contains an estimated 160 billion. I am in awe of the power that creates and maintains such a beautiful object!

Recently I had another insight that leaves me in awe. The Bible (in Genesis, chapter 1) says that God creates man in his own image. Many have taken the limited view that if man is the image of God, God must be like man. Others though, have realized that man must be something far more grand and noble then a mere mortal. The apostle John wrote "...the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;" (I John, chapter 3).

So, if we're like God, we must include as part of our identity the immensity expressed by the Whirlpool Galaxy. I don't mean that man is physically or materially immense. That wouldn't make sense or be desirable. What I'm thinking is that man, as an idea of God, must be an immense, wonderfully glorious expression of spiritual elements. I know some of the Godlike elements that are included in my identity. I'm pretty consistent at being honest and charitable. I'm reasonably intelligent. But its exciting and liberating for me to contemplate that as God's image I must include so much, much more - and so do you!

NOTE: For an expansive description of man as the image of God, see the answer to the question "What is man?" in the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by the Christian thinker and author Mary Baker Eddy. You can read this online on page 468 of the book.

Ego or Reflection? - Some Thoughts About God Making Man in His Image

2008-07-28T12:02:00.008-05:00

In Genesis it says that God "made man in his own image". I often think about what it means to be the image of God. Mary Baker Eddy, a 19th century Christian thinker, author, and healer, has helped me understand more about what it means to be the image of God. In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures she describes man as "God's image or reflection".

I love looking at reflections in the water. I've noticed that reflections are complete and identical to the original in color and detail. Reflections don't create anything and don't have to struggle to do anything. Reflections are not the result of a stressful effort to copy the original, but the natural, effortless, and inevitable result of what is being reflected.

The opposite of reflection is ego. Answers.com defines ego as "the division of the psyche that is conscious, most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality". I find it helpful to consider the question: "Am I a personal ego or a reflection (the image and likeness) of God?" Here are some important distinctions:

Ego struggles to obtain it's own will. Reflection recognizes that God is in complete and absolute control of all details.
Ego seeks to get good. Reflection recognizes that because God is Good, all good is always included. No good can be missing and nothing but good can be present.
Ego lacks and is seeking to get and hold. Reflection naturally and effortlessly is always complete and satisfied.
Ego seeks glorification of itself. Reflection rejoices in glorifying God.
Ego fears, worries, and doubts. Reflection patiently and confidently trusts.
Ego is alone. Reflection is one with God.
Ego sees everyone as separate. Reflection sees everyone as unifided and embraces everyone as one.
Ego envies another's good. Reflection rejoices in everyone's good.
Ego is impatient and frustrated. Reflection knows that God is always in control, waits on God, and recognizes that time is a mortal ego-concept.
Ego seeks attention and recognition. Reflection feels satisfaction in giving attention to God and recognizing God's presence, power, and influence. Reflection knows that each individual is recognized and valued by God.
Ego is jealous and envious. Reflection rejoices in all good as part the same total reflection of God.
Ego gets tense, stressed, irritated. Reflection is relaxed and at peace.
Ego is jealous and envious. Reflection rejoices in all good as part of God's whole.
Ego always wants more or less. Reflection has the right amount.
Ego wants to direct. Reflection goes with the rhythm of Spirit.
Ego seeks to impress. Reflection is satisfied in expressing.
Ego is rivalry. Reflection is unity and the First Commandment (no other gods).
Ego is competative. Reflection works together to achieve excellence.
Ego is the pleasures and pains of sense. Reflection is the joys of Soul.
Ego accuses. Reflection embraces.
Ego wants its share (or more). Reflection understands that all good belongs to God and is available as needed to each of God's ideas.
Ego wants to be right. Reflection wants to see right.
Ego gets embarased, disappointed, self-conscious. Reflection is conscious of the allness of God.
Ego is resentful. Reflection is humble, selfless, forgiving, and bears no grudges.
Ego assigns blame. Reflection understands the nothingness of evil and the allness of God.
Ego sees a world divided into many little egos. Reflection sees only God.

When I become aware of myself thinking or acting like an ego, I stop this behavior and replace it with reflection behavior. This practice brings peace and harmony to my experience.

NOTE: If you examine the photo above closely, you'll see a small strip of beach sand in the upper right corner. The photo is actually upside down. The real mountains and trees are in the lower one-quarter of the photo and the reflection is the upper three-quarters.

Trusting God One Step at a Time

2008-07-19T12:04:00.012-05:00

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." Psalms 56

I had an opportunity last week to put these words of David, the Psalmist, into practice. My wife and I were on a backpacking trip in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. For a day hike I wanted to climb Huron Peak, one of Colorado's 14er's (a mountain at least 14,000 feet high). This mountain is usually climbed from its west side, but we were approaching it from the east side. People familiar with the area said the east side was rarely climbed because of its steep cliffs.

After a bit of scouting, I found a route up the east side that I thought we could handle. My wife wasn't so sure. "Don't worry", I said, "Let's just tackle it one step at a time. We can stop and turn around any time you want." Our route took us over a boulder field, up a snowfield, across a narrow ledge, and then up another snowfield. The morning sun had softened the frozen snow just enough that our boots could get a firm grip without sinking in or sliding.

At this point we arrived at the key to reaching the top - a narrow couloir or clef in the cliff filled with snow. The sun had not yet penetrated the couloir and the snow was frozen hard. I used an ice axe to cut steps in the snow for our feet, to pull myself up, and to hold myself securely while resting. My wife used her axe to pull herself up behind me using those same steps. It was like climbing a ladder, only this ladder was hundreds of feet tall! We didn't worry about how far up we had come or how far we had to go. We just calmly focused on making each step.

Then something unexpected happened. Rocks fell from the cliff above and landed near us. Then a golf-ball sized rock fell and struck my wife in the arm. We were unsure if the rocks had been dislodged by an animal above us - perhaps a mountain goat - or were unstabilized by the thawing action of the morning sun on the snow. In either case I knew we shouldn't linger where we were.

My arm was getting tired from cutting the footholds for our feet, but I didn't want to stop and rest. A bit of fear tried to slip into my thought. At times like this I've learned its good to have a conversation with God. My conversation at this moment wasn't elaborate. I simply asked God to give me strength and to keep us safe. I've learned from experience that when I have a conversation with God(which is really just another way of describing prayer) that it's not the words that matter. The important thing is to sincerely feel the truth of your words in your heart. At this moment I truly wanted God to help and protect us and I truly felt that He could and would.

Jesus's first Beatitude assures us, "Blessed are those that know their need of God" (Matthew 5). My acknowledgement at this moment that I needed God's help was blessed and God responded to our conversation. My weariness disappeared as we continued climbing. The inspiration came to me that instead of trying to avoid the area where rocks had fallen, if I moved over to that area I could use the holes the rocks had punched in the snow for our foot holds. This tactic decreased the effort required for each step and increased our climbing speed. Soon we reached the top of the couloir and climbed safely onto the ridge line. I was thrilled to have reached our goal, but even more joyful because I had experienced God's care.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Step by step will those who trust Him find that 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.'" These words apply to anyone - any where, any time!

Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors

2008-06-07T07:03:00.005-05:00

Footprints on a beach remind me of how in the beach of life we are often heading different directions from one another at different speeds with varying degrees of purpose and intensity. At times these crisscrossing paths and purposes may tread on one another or collide, tempers may flare, feelings may be hurt, relationships damaged. Jesus gave us sound advice on how to conduct ourselves in these situations. Among his instructions are "Blessed are the meek", "Turn the other cheek", "Blessed are the merciful", and "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors".

These instructions of Jesus aren't always easy to follow and we can find plenty of examples in the daily paper where individuals and government are not following them at all! I'm grateful for some insights I've gained that are helping me to better follow these commands and be blessed by them.

A friend and I recently collided over some issue. It was trivial, but his words stung me. Knowing Jesus' instructions, I backed off and let him proceed his way. At first though, I only physically "turned the other cheek". Mentally, I gave him a good thrashing - thinking over and over to myself what a jerk he was. I eventually realized that forgiveness has to be more then an outward action. Genuine forgiveness takes place unseen in our hearts.

Because I was finding it difficult to genuinely forgive this individual, I began pondering why Jesus gave us these instructions. I knew from past experience that forgiving others brings peace to the forgiver, but this carrot of peace didn't seem to be enough incentive for me in this instance. "There must be a deeper reason that we are to forgive others", I reasoned. "Why forgive?", I pondered over and over.

I found my answer this morning. I woke early and lay in bed thinking. For some reason my thoughts turned to various recent actions and situations that I wished I had handled better. Like everyone, there are some personal traits that I'm trying to erase and replace with better ones. For example, I'd like to express more patience, grace, and thoughtfulness. I'd like to soften my tongue. I'd like to be more consistent in listening for and obeying God's directions. As I contemplated my short-comings the thought came to me "God forgives you". This forgiveness didn't suggest to me that I was excused for my transgressions, but it gave me a wonderful sense of God's permanent and continuous support, presence, and guidance. God wasn't going to give up on me no matter how long I struggled to improve. This quiet reassurance is the Christ, which is always present with each of us.

I suddenly found it effortless to forgive my friend. Awareness of God's forgiveness of and support for me compelled me to forgive others. This willingness to forgive was based on more then gratitude for God's love. I was glimpsing how completely and continuously each one of us are held in God's hands and therefore how powerless are the actions of others to separate us from God's love.

Will this insight help me in situations where I'm grievously wronged by another? I'm sure this won't be the last time that I struggle to forgive someone. However, this insight confirmed for me once again the wisdom of Jesus' instructions and showed me that as we contemplate these instructions and strive to follow them, the Christ is there to support our efforts and open the way.

Energy, Oil Price Shocks, and the Christ

2008-05-12T09:37:00.009-05:00

Everyone is aware that the price of oil and gasoline has gone up resulting in fears of global recession and even food shortages. Newspapers are full of practical steps we can take to alleviate this situation, such as lowering our highway driving speeds or buying more fuel-efficient vehicles (click to see a recent article). For longer-term solutions, energy companies and scientists are busy looking for new supplies. As a geologist, I've done a lot of energy exploration in my career. Here is what I'm discovering in my current exploration.

The most important step we all can take to solve this energy "crisis" is to recognize that it isn't about matter and material forms of energy. God is the source of all real power in the universe. As we acknowledge this truth about energy and turn to God for guidance, our needs for transportation and energy will be supplied in practical, affordable, sustainable ways.

Jesus demonstrated this to us. In the Bible book of John (chapter 6) it tells us that one time the disciples were rowing a boat in the Sea of Galilee, headed for the town of Capernaum. As they went, they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. They were startled by this sight and became afraid, but Jesus called out to them "It is I; be not afraid." The Bible describes what happened next: "Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went."

Immediately! Wow - that form of transportation solves more then energy problems!

Can willingly receiving the Christ into our experience really provide practical solutions for our transportation and energy needs? Mary Baker Eddy elaborated on this idea in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. She wrote:

"The Son of the Virgin-mother unfolded the remedy for Adam, or error; and the Apostle Paul explains this warfare between the idea of divine power, which Jesus presented, and mythological material intelligence called energy and opposed to Spirit. Paul says in his epistle to the Romans: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you.'"

The spirit of God dwelling in you - that's the Christ!

How can we do more to experience the Christ dwelling in us? The chapter titled "Glossary" in Science and Health gives the spiritual sense of Bible terms. The Glossary offers this definition for "Oil" - "Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration." These are activities we can all make an effort to express more of. We don't need to buy them at the local gas station.

I don't know where this will lead, but I'm working to bring more spiritual oil into my life and to willingly let the Christ dwell in me. This is the real solution to our energy needs.

Prayer is Effective!

2008-05-02T09:32:00.008-05:00

Is prayer effective? Can we turn to prayer to heal our bodies? My experience has been that the answer to those questions is "Yes!" Here is a recent experience I had of healing through prayer.

Getting ready for bed one night last winter, I was surprised to find that I had symptoms of a serious internal injury. I had done some heavy lifting that day and had just returned from playing in an ice hockey game, but I had not been aware of injuring myself in either of these activities. At first I was temped to review events to determine what happened, but I stopped this because I knew that human activity has no real bearing on my spiritual (God-given) identity. Accidents are unknown to God, not because God is ignorant of them, but because accidents or any evil, simply cannot occur in God's kingdom. I was also tempted to wonder if something in me was bruised, ruptured, or torn. Again, I stopped this line of thought by reminding myself that I was created and maintained by God - the Bible says so!

Jesus showed over and over again that the material body had no dominion over God's man. Among other infirmities, he healed blindness, leprosy, paralysis, and raised the dead. He could heal because he knew that God is man's life, so life and health come from spiritual power, not matter. Healing through prayer isn't accomplished by deciding on a material cause of injury or disease, a name for an ailment, a material procedure for cure, and then trying to change matter with Spirit. Healing through prayer comes from holding to the position that God is All and has supreme authority and never fails to exercise that authority for good, that because there is only one God matter has no authority or substance, that the material senses' reports of evil and injury are false and have no authority . This clear understanding that I was spiritual and that God was my Life eliminated my fears.

However, this understanding did not immediately eliminate the pain. I was up part of that night praying because the discomfort was keeping me awake. Finally, I realized that the human mind cannot accomplish a healing even if intellectually that mind seems to know the spiritual truth. It is the Christ that heals and the mortal mind must yield to the Christ. The Christ is Truth, the power of God's presence, and the loving presence of God with us. I reached out to the Christ in my prayers, welcomed the Christ into my thought, and strove to feel the Christ - God with me. This line of thought brought some relief and I was able to go to bed and rest.

The second night the pain had returned and I was uncomfortable in any position - standing, sitting, or lying. I realized that pain is just what the material senses are reporting to consciousness and that to relieve the pain I needed to turn my consciousness away from what the material senses were saying and listen to what the divine Mind, God was telling me. To accomplish this I listened to CDs of a book that helps me understand God and my relationship to Him - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science. I made an effort to focus on and understand each statement that was read. This required persistent effort, but gradually the pain subsided and after a couple of hours I was able to go to bed and sleep. The next day the pain was gone and most of the symptoms had cleared up. I held to the truth and was completely normal the following day.

Although I felt fine at this point, I had a lingering fear that the injury might crop up again. A friend brought this passage from Science and Health to my attention:

We think that we are healed when a disease disappears, though it is liable to reappear, but we are never thoroughly healed until the liability to be ill is removed. So-called mortal mind or the mind of mortals being the remote, predisposing, and the exciting cause of all suffering, the cause of disease must be obliterated through Christ in divine Science, or the so-called physical senses will get the victory.

To remove this "liability to be ill", I renewed my efforts to be conscious of the Christ in my thought and to think of myself as being now and always a spiritual being, never in matter. Many months have now passed and I have been active in hockey, caving, and tennis, and lifted and carried heavy objects without any injury or pain.

Trust, Trustworthiness, and Cross-Bearing

2008-04-20T13:55:00.003-05:00

Its nice to feel trusted. But what is trust? Trust is someone’s belief that you are trustworthy. What if you are trustworthy, but not trusted – are you missing out on something? Do you need trust or is it enough to be trustworthy? God doesn’t believe - God knows. So trust, being a belief in someone, is a human quality or condition. Trust is like human love. It can come and go, be won and lost, remembered and forgotten, seen and overlooked, given and withheld, enduring and fleeting.

In our human experience there will be times that, although we are trustworthy, we will not have the trust of others. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes: “If you launch your bark upon the ever-agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms. Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross.” (p. 254)

Just what I want – a cross! But Jesus bore the cross and as his followers we can and must also. How do we find what it takes? How do we express obedience and perseverance like Jesus did?

It helps to remember that all we need comes from God. No one can add anything to what God gives us. God’s supply for us is full, abundant, complete, overflowing, unchanging – nothing can add to it or supplement it. It is a mortal illusion to believe that we need something more than what God has provided. God knows I’m trustworthy because God made me trustworthy and maintains my trustworthiness. In God’s eyes I am unblemished integrity, wise, honest, fair. My God-given trustworthiness is a permanent part of my identity - like my health, goodness, and joy. I don’t need anyone’s trust. Someone’s trust won’t and can’t add anything to my happiness, satisfaction, or sense of self-worth. I am embraced in God’s love now and this embrace is tangible, strong, genuine, constant. My worthiness is God-bestowed, God-maintained, God-witnessed, and God-appreciated. I am God’s image and likeness, form and action. God’s Christ bears witness to my immaculate spiritual identity including my trustworthiness.

Eddy continues her description of our encounters with the cross with this advice: “Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown. Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven; stranger, thou art the guest of God.”

Thank you, God!

God's Gifts of Grace

2008-03-01T20:42:00.007-06:00

I've been thinking about grace. Grace is God's gift to man irrespective of man's actions, worth, or goodness. In other words, God freely gives us gifts whether or not we deserve to receive them. You don't have to qualify for grace, its simply given to you. That's the nature of God. Some gifts of grace are designed to meet individual needs. Others, like the sunset above, are given to anyone in the community that happens to be watching. These gifts come to us through the Christ, God's power and love manifested in our lives.

I've made a list of some of the gifts of grace that I've received during the past couple of months. There are almost two dozen gifts on my list and there probably are many more that I have forgotten or did not recognize as a gift from God. My list includes unforeseen opportunities to participate in interesting activities, generosity of strangers, companionship of family, friends, and pets, forgiveness received, finding just what I needed on sale, and unplanned events that turned out just right.

Just to give one example, we had ordered a new mirror for a bathroom in our home. The mirror was to be installed a week ago, but the day of the scheduled installation a snowstorm prevented the workers from coming. The soonest they could reschedule the work was a week later. My wife and I were disappointed, but patient. Then, a few days before the new installation date we discovered that the dimensions of the mirror we had ordered would cover a part of the wall that we planned to use for towel racks. Because the installation had been delayed, we were able to change our order to get the correct size mirror. God's grace prevented us from having the wrong size mirror installed.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:

Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual idea, - the reflection of God, - has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth.

The Christmas story gives us some ideas of how we can prepare ourselves to receive more of God's grace (see my blog entry The Christmas Story … and you!).

The most precious gifts of grace are healing. I've had three healings of physical illness or injury so far this year (one is described in my blog entry Awaking Thought to Our True Condition). In each case I knew that I didn't have to live with the difficulty and that I would be healed. How did I know this? - God's grace. God doesn't send sickness and injury. God sends health and wellness - to everyone, whether or not they deserve it. This is what Jesus was telling us and showing us.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. The Apostle Paul

A Valentine To You From God

2008-02-13T09:05:00.015-06:00

I've always been intrigued by this statement written by Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "The floral apostles are hieroglyphs of Deity."

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines hieroglyph as "a character used in a system of hieroglyphic writing". Hieroglyphic is in turn defined as "a system of writing mainly in pictorial characters".

So what is God writing? What do God's "hieroglyphs" say to us?

I think they say "I love you!"

Where Your Treasure Is, There Will Your Heart Be Also

2008-01-18T22:25:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year I ordered a replacement swimming pool filter. I did not want to spend a lot of time shopping for a pool filter, so I simply called a local company that I trusted, asked them what they would recommend, and made the purchase over the phone. The item was delivered and installed as promised.

When the bill arrived in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the total amount due was about $100 lower then had been originally quoted. My immediate thought was, "They must have misquoted the price to me over the phone". I admit that a second thought also flashed through my mind - that the company had made a billing error - but I didn't want to dwell on that thought.

However, that thought that it might be a billing error kept coming back to me all day, like a bothersome fly. At first I ignored it. Then I rationalized that if the company had made a mistake they would certainly catch it and let me know. Next, I justified myself by thinking that I was too busy with other things to take the time to inquire about the billing. Finally, a Christ-like thought appeared in my consciousness - "Which is substance to you - the money or your integrity?" It didn't take me long to answer that question. I realized that integrity, a Godlike-quality, is priceless. I called the company and asked them to check the billing. Sure enough, I had been under-billed.

Although 100 dollars is a significant amount to my budget, I have never felt like I lost anything by pointing out the error and paying the higher price. In fact, I genuinely feel like I gained from the transaction. This might be surprising to some, but it is explained by Jesus' counsel in the book of Matthew. He told his listeners, "Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… . For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." By treasuring (valuing) my expression of Godlike qualities more then money my heart was moving closer to God. The result for me was a deeper feeling of satisfaction and peace. Now that's something to treasure!

Casting Down Imaginations and Bringing Every Thought to the Obedience of Christ

2008-01-04T12:49:00.001-06:00

Recently, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling nauseous. I had eaten a big meal at a restaurant the evening before and as I woke, the thought "You ate something bad" popped into my head. Immediately following this first thought was another thought: "That is only a hypnotic suggestion". I understood this second thought to mean, not that some individual was specifically trying to hypnotize me into thinking that I was sick, but that the human mind is prone to picking up and acting out, without being consciously aware of it, ideas, beliefs, and attitudes circulating in popular thought. You've probably noticed, for example, that when one person in a crowd yawns, coughs, becomes excited or afraid, others in the group do also.

To deal with my immediate situation, I got out of bed and found a comfortable place to sit and pray. Recognizing that this discomfort was not a reality, but a suggestion, I proceeded to resist and correct this suggestion by reminding myself of the truth I've learned from the Bible about the reality of God and man. The apostle Paul describes this method of countering false suggestions in his letter to the Corinthians: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

I thought about how God made me in His image and likeness (Genesis 1), how God was the supreme power - ever present and all good (Psalms 23, 91, and 139), and about how now I am the child of God (I John 3). In applying these Bible truths to bring healing, I followed the guidance of Mary Baker Eddy, a 19th century Christian healer. In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she advises to "insist vehemently" on the great facts of existence (page 421) and to oppose sickness with conscientious protests of truth (page 12).

The suggestion that I was sick was persistent, but I refused to give it authority or credibility. My treatment did not involve willing myself to be healthy or self-hypnosis. On the contrary, I was awaking my consciousness to the truth and bringing it into accord with what God, or divine Mind (a term Eddy used to describe God), was knowing and doing. This is the true state of my consciousness.

As I held steadily to the truth, I steadily felt better until I finally felt normal. I went back to bed, slept normally, and continued to feel fine the next morning when I got up.

God's Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Kill

2007-12-21T18:09:00.000-06:00

Today, as is too often the case, our newspaper contained articles about brutal killings and torture taking place in various parts of the world. Too often people ignore these crimes because they feel intimidated or powerless to effect a change. Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, wrote in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Christians must take up arms against error at home and abroad. They must grapple with sin in themselves and in others, and continue this warfare until they have finished their course."

How should a Christian respond and take action against such crimes? Certainly one effective action every Christian can take, regardless of where in the world they live, is to pray about the situation. As I prayed about these events today, the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" came to thought.

Commandments are laws of God. What is the nature of God's laws? Are they mere requests that individuals, particularly those that aren't even readers of the Bible may choose to ignore? Some may say so. I believe that the nature of God's laws is more like physical laws, such as the law of gravity. An individual does not choose whether or not they will obey the law of gravity. This law is always in effect and applicable to everyone whether they know the law or not.

If God's laws are always in force, why do we see killing going on in violation of these laws? Frankly, I can't explain this. However, my intuition tells me that part of the solution is to refuse to accept in consciousness the legitimacy of man being a killer and to prayerfully affirm that in his true nature man cannot kill. Praying this way is praying the way Jesus did. Mary Baker Eddy described Jesus' prayers as "conscientious protests of Truth, - of man's likeness to God and of man's unity with Truth and Love." Praying this way, I've been able to bring healing to difficulties in my own experience. I believe such prayer can help to end killing around the world as well. Please join me in this prayer.

Christmas Gratitude

2007-12-20T08:30:00.000-06:00

Christmas to me isn't an event or a season, it’s a reminder - a reminder that the Christ comes to each one of us. Having grown up in the northeastern edge of the United States, I have a northern hemisphere perspective on Christmas. When the nights are longest and the days grow cold and bleak, even then, the warm glow of the Christ enters our lives.

The tradition of Christmas reminds me to watch and listen, like a shepherd, in stillness and faith for the angels heralding the appearance of the Christ, to have room at my inn -in(n) my consciousness for the Christ-idea, to cherish the Christ-appearance - no matter how humble and baby-like, and, like a wise man, to be alert for the Herod-mindset of antagonism, the anti-Christ which falsely claims to be more attractive, powerful, and relevant in our lives then the real Christ.

The Christ comes to each of us continuously throughout the year and we should continuously celebrate this coming with gratitude and praise.

I am grateful for the abundant appearances of the Christ in my life this past year. Only a fraction of these have been described in my blog. These signs of the Christ were manifested as gifts of guidance, protection, love, supply, health, comfort, reassurance, friendship, opportunity, strength, patience, forgiveness, mercy, joy, and grace. Following Jesus's example, I humbly acknowledge that "I can of mine own self do nothing." Echoing Paul, I praise God that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

I love the sense of Christmas described in this poem, by Mary Baker Eddy:

Christmas Morn by Mary Baker Eddy

Blest Christmas morn, though murky clouds
Pursue thy way,
Thy light was born where storm enshrouds
Nor dawn nor day!

Dear Christ, forever here and near,
No cradle song,
No natal hour and mother's tear,
To thee belong.

Thou God-idea, Life-encrowned,
The Bethlehem babe-
Beloved, replete, by flesh embound-
Was but thy shade!

Thou gentle beam of living Love,
And deathless Life!
Truth infinite, - so far above
All mortal strife,

Or cruel creed, or earth-born taint:
Fill us today
With all thou art - be thou our saint,
Our stay, alway.

.

Spiritual ideas - always with us!

2007-11-17T22:40:00.001-06:00

Recently, while jogging on the beach, I had some insights into the nature of spiritual ideas. I visit this particular beach throughout the year. In the winter, storm waves wash away much of the sand leaving a steep, narrow beach traversed by ledges of rock. In the springtime, the waves are gentler and start bringing the sand back onto shore creating a wider beach. By fall, the rock ledges are totally buried by the sand and the beach is broad and flat.

The beauty of this beach is always inspiring. As I ran down the beach I thought about how the sand comes and goes, but the beauty is always there. The waves don't touch the beauty. The beauty is in something more then sand, it's a spiritual idea.

I passed a Golden Retriever. The dog ran along the beach with me, a broad dogie-smile on its face, its tail wagging in bliss. The dog was the perfect expression of joy. Then I noticed that the dog had only three legs. The leg was gone, but the joy of running was not diminished. The substance of joy is something more then the leg, it is a spiritual idea.

My running left a trail of footprints behind that recorded where I leaped over a pile of seaweed and churned determinedly through a section of loose sand. Reaching the end of the beach, I turned around and retraced my route. On the return trip, I noticed that the footprints from my initial run down the beach had been washed away. All physical expressions of my run were gone, but the grace and persistence that had been expressed in my running remained with me. These spiritual qualities were not left behind in the fading footprints to be be washed away.

Where were the beauty, joy of running, grace, and persistence if they were not in the sand, leg, or footprints? These spiritual ideas, although hinted at or expressed by physical things, are never actually confined within those things and can't be subjected to physical limitations. Spiritual ideas originate from God and because God is always with us, the spiritual ideas remain with us as well.

What about the love families and friends express for one another? This love too is a spiritual idea, so its expression can't really be confined to physical forms. Is it reasonable to conclude that the love goes on, even when the person that loved is no longer physically present? I think so! What a wonderful thought - that all the love we've ever felt from our family members and friends remains forever with us unchanged as a spiritual idea.

God cares for the "fowls of the air" - and airline passengers too!

2007-11-08T12:19:00.000-06:00

Those of you who fly Southwest Airlines know the feeling I'm talking about. Until today (woo hoo!) the airline had an open seating policy where passengers picked their seats based on the order that they got in line at the gate. Of course, since most people do not want to stand in line any longer then necessary, the strategy was to sit near the gate and watch carefully for your fellow passengers to make a move. Once a few people started to line up, everyone would jump up to grab a place in line. After all, who wants to sit next to the screaming baby or wedged between two former football linemen?

Being a frequent Southwest passenger I was well drilled in the routine and knew how to position myself to get a good place in line when the stampede began. But recently, as I sat waiting for a flight, a new thought came to me. "If God loves us all dearly and cares for us, He must have just the right spot for each of us on that plane. No one can take the spot God has prepared for me and I can't take another person's spot." The logic of this thought was so compelling, I couldn't argue with it. Jesus said "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better then they?" (Matthew 6).

So, when the line started to form, I just sat there. And when passengers started to board I calmly got into line near the end of my boarding group. I didn't know where I'd be sitting, but I was looking forward to the seat God had prepared for me. To my surprise, the seat I got, was the one I would have chosen if I had gotten on first! It even had a friendly passenger sitting in the adjacent seat.

Southwest has just changed their boarding procedures, so I won't have a chance to try this experiment again. However, I am trying to be alert to remember and practice this lesson in other aspects of my life. It isn't always easy. Human nature says you have to grab for what you can get. But our Father-Mother God does care for each one of us and we can expect to see that care expressed in practical ways every day.

Photo courtesy of Luiz Eduardo, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Southwest_Airlines_plane.jpg

The Flying Backpack - How Christ Kept Me From a Bad Decision

2007-11-06T09:33:00.002-06:00

The Christ is always speaking to us, giving us guidance, encouragement, wisdom, and if necessary, chastisement. Sometimes these Christ-messages come as a distinct verbal message. Often, in my experience, the Christ-message comes as a thought or new idea either simply appearing in my consciousness or perhaps inspired by something I see around me. It usually takes alert watching to recognize these Christ-messages for what they are. Like the obscure birth of a baby in a manger, the still small voice of the Christ is easily overlooked by a busy world.

I love watching for these Christ-messages in my life. Their coming is always fresh and original. One message I received this summer came with a touch of dramatic humor!

Three of us had hiked to the top of a peak in Colorado. There was a large cornice of snow at the top which extended down the slope in the direction we planned to return. "I'm going to slide down", I announced, sitting down at the edge of the cornice. "I wouldn't do that", advised my brother-in-law. I couldn't see any reason not to slide, but just to make sure, I took off my backpack, set it next to me, and pushed it over the edge.

The pack slid rapidly down the small snowfield, but it didn't stop as expected at the end of the snow. When the pack reached the end of the snow, it hit a rock, bounced up into the air, landed and bounced again, and then rolled and bounced on and on ... and on way down the steep mountain slope.

This outcome was so unexpected (at least to me) that we laughed hysterically as we watched the pack fade into the distance down the side of the mountain. Needless to say, I decided not to slide down the snow.

That night as I lay in my sleeping bag at our campsite, I was thinking about the flying backpack. Suddenly, a realization came to me so clearly, that I sat bolt upright - and I wasn't laughing this time. The past few days I had been contemplating taking some action. The thought that had just come to me was that the action I had been considering was just like sliding down the snow at the top of the mountain. I had just been thinking about the immediate or short term aspects of this action - the exciting schuss down the snow. What I suddenly realized was that things might not stop happily at the end of the snow as I intended, but that this action could (and probably would) end up, like the backpack, unexpectedly bouncing and rolling wildly and unpleasantly out of control.

This insight from the flying backpack was the Christ guiding me. It led me to make a right decision. I am so grateful that we have the Christ guiding us!

Do you have an experience of the Christ guiding you that you'd like to share?

Trust God to direct your life

2007-10-22T11:50:00.000-05:00

I remember one evening I sat down to spend some time praying. Unfortunately, before I accomplished much, I began to doze off. Suddenly, the phone rang. I jumped up, dashed to the phone, and answered it. A voice on the other end of the line responded "Oh, I am sorry! I have the wrong number." The caller immediately hung up.

Now wide awake and alert, I sat back down in my chair ready to resume my prayers. As I contemplated what had just happened, I had to chuckle. That person thought they had dialed a wrong number! Little did they know the good that had been accomplished (rousing me from my stupor) and they were unwittingly acting under God's direction when they "mistakenly" dialed my number.

I like to remember this incident when events in my life don't seem to flow the direction that I've outlined and some course of action I've taken appears to be a "wrong number". Its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we are individually responsible for everything that goes on in our day. We are only responsible for doing the best we can to listen to, witness, and obey God, but the outcome of God's directions is in His hands. We can trust that God is working His purpose out even if we can't see the big picture or how exactly we fit into that picture.

Although it's always rewarding to see the fruits of our labors, we shouldn't be discouraged if we don't see those fruits. If we are sincerely striving to let God direct our lives, we can always trust that good is continuously being accomplished whether or not we see that ourselves. The Bible reminds us: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Photo of phone courtesy of www.historyofthebutton.com

Purging unwanted feelings from consciousness

2007-10-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

"Out of sight, out of mind." That's a well known saying that dates back to at least the 1500's. It is the idea that something hidden from direct view is dismissed and forgotten - no longer an influence on our lives. We see this mind-set in the way we dispose of waste in our society - either burying it or pouring it into holes in the ground. However, just as toxic chemicals and sewage from improperly buried waste can gush out to the surface from a spring or flow into a water well, so too can buried thoughts and feelings resurface with all their uncomfortable ugliness or emotional pain.

Jesus warned against merely superficial cleaning. He said to some of the righteous people of his day "Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs- beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matthew 23:27)

I've been wrestling with this problem of how to thoroughly and finally dispose of unwanted thoughts. Often I feel like I've done a pretty good job of cleaning my mental environment, only to be surprised when some event or memory prompts a reaction and resentment or other undesirable feelings burst out in expression. "It's back again! I thought that had gotten rid of that attitude - where did that feeling come from?" I ask myself. Cleansing the "dark recesses of mortal thought", as Mary Baker Eddy described the human sub-consciousness, takes persistent effort.

How do we really cleanse ourselves from unwanted thoughts and feelings? A starting point for me is to regularly and earnestly pray like the Psalmist, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Honest recognition of unwanted thoughts, a sincere desire to let them go, and steadfast resistance to them, enlist God's help and give us spiritual power to expunge these evils from our consciousness.

The book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, gives helpful instructions for purifying our human sub-consciousness:

"The way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through flood-tides of Love. Christian perfection is won on no other basis."

The Bible, particularly the teachings of Jesus, gives me abundant truths about God and man to pour into my consciousness.

I am also finding my thought is improved when I acknowledge the presence of and regularly listen for the influence of the Christ in consciousness. This divine message is all that can really occupy our thought. The more actively I welcome the Christ-presence in my consciousness the more thoroughly my consciousness is be cleansed of unwanted thoughts and feelings. It is taking persistence, but I am confident that the Christ can permanently purify my thought.

Keeping your eye on the ball brings healing

2007-09-05T05:50:00.000-05:00

One problem with my tennis game is that I have a tendency to take my eye off the ball. The result is that many times I do not hit the ball squarely or miss it entirely. To correct this problem, I've been making a concerted effort to focus my attention on the ball and watch it hit my racket. To the degree that I am consistent at this, there is a noticeable improvement in my play.

I've noticed this lesson applies to living as well. Many times I've started the day with good intentions and high ideals, but in the course of the day I take my eyes off my target and I mis-play events. I am correcting this problem as well by focusing on "the ball".

I'm finding that a helpful "ball" to focus on in daily living is Jesus's command to 1) love God with all your heart and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. These commands originally came from Moses, but Jesus brought them together and described them as the two greatest commandments. "On these hang all the law and the prophets", he told his followers (Matthew 22).

Jesus also taught us, through his parable about the good Samaritan (Luke 10), that our neighbor is anyone that comes into our experience during the course of our day. Loving anyone can be a challenge.

How do you genuinely love someone who appears to be unlovable? Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, wrote in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "To love one's neighbor as one's self is a divine idea; but this idea can never be seen, felt, nor understood through the physical senses." The implication is that we have to focus on our spiritual sense - what God sees and knows about His creation - to truly love our neighbor.

Loving our neighbor by focusing on the spiritual truth about them brings healing. Mrs. Eddy explained in her book that this is how Jesus healed. She wrote: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."

I've witnessed this healing action many times in my own experience (for example, read this healing of an incident at a car wash). So throughout the day I'm working to stay focused on the ball, the two great commandments, and letting these guide my thoughts and actions. This is a winning strategy!

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." - Matthew 22

The Empty Tomb

2007-08-22T11:31:00.000-05:00

The Crandall Canyon Mine disaster in Huntington, Utah has been in my thoughts and prayers the past two weeks. Like everyone else, I've prayed and hoped for a positive ending to this tragedy. And, like everyone else, I was disappointed when mine owner Bob Murray announced recently that the trapped miners are probably dead and that their bodies will remain "entombed" in the mine.

So I've been thinking about tombs.

One thought was about the story in the Bible where Jesus stood outside the tomb and shouted "Lazarus, come forth". In response, Lazarus, who had been buried for three days already, came walking out. Our prayers today don't appear to be up to the caliber of Jesus', but that shouldn't dissuade us from continuing to pray as best we know how for people and events around the world that call out for aid. Our prayers are felt whether or not we can see practical evidence of their worth. The passage of time after Lazarus' death did not discourage Jesus from praying, and we too should continue to pray about events for as long as we feel inspired to do so.

The other tomb I've thought about is the one Jesus was buried in. When friends came several days after Jesus' burial they found it empty. In Luke's version of this story, angels were present at the tomb and announced to Jesus' friends: "He is not here, but is risen."

This is the greatest lesson Jesus taught us. The seeming finality of death can not contain and entomb life.

Mary Baker Eddy, the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, was healed of life-threatening injuries as she studied Bible accounts of Jesus. She described her discovery of Jesus' lesson this way: "When apparently near the confines of mortal existence, standing already within the shadow of the death-valley, I learned these truths in divine Science: that all real being is in God, the divine Mind, and that Life, Truth, and Love are all-powerful and ever present; that the opposite of Truth, - called error, sin sickness, disease, death, - is the false testimony of false material sense, of mind in matter;…"

These facts remain true today and our prayers and spiritual growth in understanding God and His creation will eventually help everyone to witness this truth about life.

"This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17

Prayer that moves mountains

2007-08-08T11:05:00.000-05:00

How can one pray to support the rescue effort going on at the Crandall Canyon Mine near Huntington, Utah? Can prayer help? Jesus said that prayer could move a mountain.

In my experience, I've found that a heartfelt affirmation of the presence of the Christ helps others to feel and respond to this ever-present divine influence. We can help by affirming in our own consciousness that the Christ, the presence of God's power, is with the miners, their families, neighbors, and co-workers. The Christ is giving and inspiring others to give support and comfort in practical ways. The Bible promises "Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted."

We can affirm that the Christ is directing and strengthening the rescue workers in their attempts to reach the miners, giving them the wisdom and skill they need to do their job quickly and safely.

And though we can't communicate with the miners and know nothing about their physical condition, we can affirm Paul's assurance that nothing can separate anyone from the love of Christ, not even death.

Holding these truths in our consciousness and re-affirming them every time we hear a news report about the miners will support all involved.

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; - Matthew 17

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,… - Romans 8

Feeling the Warmth of God's Presence

2007-08-02T11:36:00.000-05:00

I recently read a posting on an internet discussion board where someone expressed frustration because they just couldn't feel God's presence and love.

I've been wondering how to respond to that person. They had already received several posts of loving advice from others, yet nothing seemed to work for them.

As I thought about this, I remembered an experience I had this summer while backpacking in the mountains of Colorado. I had gotten up very early one morning to spend some time reading. Although it was light, the direct sunlight had not reached down into the valley where I was sitting. It was cold! As the sun rose in the sky, I watched the sunbeams slowing move down the side of the valley wall towards where I was sitting. However, before they could reach me I became uncomfortably cold, so I began walking up the side of the valley towards the sunlight. This took some effort - it was uphill, over boulders and through bushes. I persisted in moving toward the light and I finally reached it. Stepping across the sharp line from the shadows into the direct sunlight, I was immediately rewarded with warmth.

That's what the poster on the internet wants - to feel the warm, healing sunlight of God's love. Of course God's love is always present, but sometimes our human situation seems to prevent us from feeling that presence. The solution is very similar to my experience in the mountains, only to feel God's presence, we need to move our thought, not our body.

How do you move thought? By elevating thought spiritually, moving thought closer to God so that it is more Godlike in quality and more open and receptive to messages from God, focus more on God and God's ways rather then human wants and woes.

How do you know what direction to move? By following others who have found the way. In here book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy advises "…make the Bible the chart of life, where the buoys and healing currents of Truth are pointed out". Jesus was even more specific. "I am the way", he said, "the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." If one needs still more specific directions, I suggest studying and following Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5-7).

Is that all there is to it? I believe so. But like my experience in the mountains, one must be persistent and consistent in their movement. It would have done me no good to wander aimlessly around the valley or walk only partway up hill. I had to persist on my course. Mary Baker Eddy has some encouragement for us as we work our way uphill: "The struggle for Truth makes one strong instead of weak, resting instead of wearying one."

Filtering out the glare to see (and experience) the Healing Christ

2007-07-23T11:17:00.001-05:00

Recently, I camped at a beautiful mountain lake that was teeming with fish. Although the fish in the lake were visible from the shore, the glare of sunlight bouncing off the water created a murky cast that muted the fish's colors. Using my digital camera, I took a picture of the fish in the lake. At home, I was able to screen the photo with a digital "filter" that removed the glare and revealed the true color of the fish.

This digital filtering is a great analogy for what the Christ does for us. Our life experiences may appear to have conflict, lack, injury - which can seem very real, but Jesus told us that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, in fact, within us! Is there a Christly filter that can clear up the murky human view? Indeed, Jesus said: "Know the truth and the truth will make you free" (John 8:32). What does it mean to "know the truth"? I like this description, given by Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "…be thoroughly persuaded in our own mind concerning the truth which you think or speak, and you will be the victor."

I've had many experiences in my life that demonstrate how the truth Jesus taught filters out the inharmonious picture and reveals the harmony of God's kingdom. Here's one example:

I was playing in a hockey game when I suddenly fell, twisting my leg and ankle and landing on my ankle. Because of the way I fell and what it felt like, the first thought that came was that if I haven’t broken my ankle, I’ve at least badly sprained it. I immediately rejected this thought because I knew that God was supreme and cares for all His ideas - including me. I managed to get to the bench and sit down. Again the thought came that I couldn’t possibly skate the rest of the game. Again, I rejected this thought and did not tell anyone about the problem. I knew that healing didn't come from the application of a strong human will, but that I just needed to thoroughly hold to the truth about God’s power to heal and God’s supremacy over every human situation.

Because of the way our team rotates players I only had 3 to 4 minutes before it would be my turn to skate again. The thought came to skip my shift, but immediately another thought came not to worry, that time is not a factor in God’s work. I endeavored to keep my consciousness focused on the truth of God's power and perfect creation, to filter out any thought that an injury could occur, be part of, or interfere with that creation, and to be thoroughly persuaded of the truth of these ideas, to really embrace that truth in my heart.

When my shift came I was ready. Without hesitation I jumped on the ice and found that I could skate as good as ever. I played hard the rest of the game. As I was getting off the ice at the end of the game, the thought came that my ankle would probably swell when I took my skate off. I immediately rejected this idea and thanked God for the healing I’d had. I never experienced any pain, swelling, or difficulty in walking.

What is the truth that you can use to filter out the glare of human experience and make you free? The Gospels are full of truths which Jesus taught and demonstrated. Perhaps these are all summed up in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6). Here is the Lord's Prayer (given to us by Jesus) with Mrs. Eddy's spiritual sense of the prayer in italics (from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures).

Our Father which art in heaven,
Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.
Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.
Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Enable us to know, — as in heaven, so on earth, — God is
omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;
Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;
And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth
us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, forever.
For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over
all, and All.

No Close Calls

2007-07-13T14:50:00.000-05:00

Earlier this summer I was trying to remove a mirror from the wall in the bathroom. I thought that I had loosened the mirror from the wall. However, either I hadn't loosened it completely or the top of the mirror was caught on something, because as I pulled the base of the mirror out from the wall, I heard above me the ominous sound of glass cracking. For a split second I considered dropping the mirror and trying to move out of the way, but what I've come to recognize as the Christ-thought speaking to my consciousness quickly came and told me to hold still.

As I stood holding the mirror, large shards of broken glass rained down on me. I was standing there in shorts and bare feet with my arms outstretched as the broken glass fell. When the dust settled there was glass all around me. I saw that although I had some minor scratches and cuts on my arms and hands, they were not bleeding profusely and I did not need any bandages or clean-up. One large shard had come down on my arm, striking it right between two veins and creating a deep puncture. Like the others, this cut was not bleeding and quickly closed itself up.

I felt a bit shaken, so I decided that now would be a good time to pray. I stood there quietly for a few moments. Three thoughts came to me. First, I thought "God, I apologize that I was careless and impatient. I will try to do better." Next, I thought "Thank you God for taking care of me and keeping me safe." My third thought was a firm declaration: "This was NOT a close call". This last thought was very reassuring to me because human nature was trying to say "Oh, that was a close call, you could have been in big trouble."

It is important to realize that the suggestion of a close call is just as false as a suggestion that says "you are injured". In truth, there is no power opposed to God, no line that we can cross where we pass outside of God's care, no act we can do that can bring us under the jurisdiction of some power besides God - this is the assurance of the First Commandment. Therefore, there is never any potential for life-threatening harm. The testimony of material sense is irrelevant. It didn't matter where the glass fell - God is my Life and there is no power apart from God that can touch my life!

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy says that when an accident happens we should "declare that you are not hurt and understand the reason why" (397:18). I was being obedient to this statement by understanding that I was not hurt because God always protects me and there is no other power that can touch or influence my health and safety. This truth is not a license to be careless, but an assurance that those that know and obey God's law can witness and be conscious of the protection of that law.

This experience helped me later this summer when I was working for a summer camp. I was responsible for the health and safety of a group of teenagers that were caving and canoeing. The assurance that there are no close calls was present in my consciousness throughout this experience. Of course, there were no close calls! Thank you God!!!!!!!!!!!

Caving and Canoeing with the Christ

2007-06-24T22:41:00.001-05:00

I recently spent two weeks with a special summer camp program for middle- and high school-aged kids. The focus of this program was caving (10 caves) and canoeing (2 rivers). We also did a lot of camping. This program was designed for young people that attend the Christian Science Sunday School and for our inspirational theme, we chose "Caving and Canoeing with the Christ" or "CCC" for short.

During the course of the two
weeks we discussed how the Christ can be thought of as "God with us", the power of God's presence and the presence of God's power, "a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself", or simply as the Truth about God and man.

We endeavored to witness the Christ in one another and in each day's activities. The evidence of the Christ in our experience was consistent, powerful, and gratifying. Here are some of the ways in which we saw the Christ expressed:

a consistent sense of harmony, joy, and adventure among all participants

safety at all times while caving, canoeing, camping, and traveling

health and wellness expressed by all

mostly beautiful weather and ideal temperatures. No discouragement or ill-effects from the two large rain events we experienced.

untiring patience on the part of all participants as we worked out logistical issues

quick resolution (on two occasions) of vehicle starting problems
unselfish hard work by campers (performing a service project) and councilors (to organize and run the program). One councilor spent their one week of vacation this year to lead the first week of the program.
generous assistance and guidance beyond the call of duty provided by rangers and cave experts we encountered during our program.
the beauty and sublimity of caves, springs, rivers, and wildlife.

Good experiences such as this do not happen by chance. They are natural and normal and can be consistently experienced by all of us as we learn to acknowledge and witness the influence of the Christ in our lives.

Thank you God!!!!

Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. The Revelation of John

Behold the Fowls of the Air

2007-06-08T01:57:00.000-05:00

This spring I've had a great opportunity to "behold the fowls of the air" as Jesus advised in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6). A pair of Robin's built their nest on a beam outside a window at our home and I've watched the whole process from construction to first flight.

The effort the parent birds put into this project is impressive. They spent days transporting sticks and grass to build a suitable nest. The mother bird then sat patiently on the nest until the eggs hatched. From then on, both parents were busy from sunrise to sunset catering to the nourishment and housekeeping needs of their four young ones. They kept this up until the last bird had left the nest. After that, I saw the parents around the yard, still watching over and feeding their now well-grown young.

What motivated these birds to work so diligently? Some would say it was merely unemotional instinct. Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, described it differently. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she writes: "All nature teaches God's love to man…" and "Nature voices natural, spiritual law and divine Love …".

Its inspiring to think of the birds' parenting as teaching us of the Father-Mother love of God to mankind. God is looking after each of us with the same unwavering care and hard work that these bird parents looked after their offspring. This is natural, spiritual law and divine Love.

And what are our responsibilities in our relationship with God? We, like the young birds in the picture above, need to expectantly watch for and be ready to accept the nourishment that God is regularly bringing to us. We don't have to hold our mouths open as we wait, but we should have our thoughts and hearts open!

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)

What if our prayers don't seem to be answered?

2007-05-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

I was thinking about prayer, what we pray for, and how sometimes it seems like our prayers aren't answered. Then the thought came to me "What if Jonah had prayed?" Actually Jonah did pray, but not until he had gotten himself in a real jam.

The Bible tells us that God told Jonah to deliver a prophetic message to the city of Nineveh. Jonah wasn't interested in doing that, so he got on a ship heading the other direction. A storm came up and threatened to sink the ship. When the sailors learned that Jonah was fleeing from God's directions, they threw him overboard and he was swallowed by a large fish. At that point, the Bible tells us, Jonah finally prayed and the fish spit him onto dry ground. Given a second chance, Jonah obeyed and took God's message to Nineveh. His experience at Nineveh went smoothly, leaving one to observe that if Jonah had listened to God from the start his experiences would have been harmonious.

So, what if Jonah had prayed for release from responsibility when he was first directed to go to Nineveh? Would God have said, "Oh, sorry to bother you, I'll send someone else"? I don't think so. If Jonah had prayed for calm seas, would the storm have blown over and allowed him to continue sailing in the wrong direction? That doesn't seem likely. At this point in his life, what Jonah wanted didn't fit God's plan.

The purpose of prayer isn't to get our way. The purpose of prayer is to get our will out of the way so that we can learn and do God's will. Mary Baker Eddy says in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Prayer cannot change the unalterable Truth, nor can prayer alone give us an understanding of Truth; but prayer, coupled with a fervent habitual desire to know and do the will of God, will bring us into all Truth."

Consider how the apostle Peter prayed when he was in a situation similar to Jonah's. Following the ascension of Jesus, Peter obeyed the call to spread God's word among the people. His efforts were met with opposition and persecution. Did Peter pray to be relieved from the assignment? Did he pray for his enemies' demise or for harmonious experiences? No, Peter prayed "grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word"(Acts 4). Peter's prayers were to be able to do God's will. His prayers were answered and he lived out his life boldly preaching God's word.

Jesus set the ultimate example for selfless prayer. On the night before his crucifixion, knowing what lay before him, he prayed "Not my will, but thine be done."

What should we expect from our prayers? One thing I am sure of is that sickness is never God's will, so we can always expect relief from physical suffering. The Bible records many healings by Jesus and never once does he tell a sufferer, " I can't heal you because God wants you to be that way" or "you deserve to be that way". Time and again, God has answered my prayers for physical healing.

So when my prayers don't seem to be answered, I examine how I'm praying. Am I praying to avoid a challenge or to face a challenge? Am I praying to escape the storm or to be guided through the storm? Am I dictating what the answer to my prayers should be or am I praying to put my human will aside, be receptive to God's direction, and be strengthened to do God's will? I'm confident that prayers to know and be strengthened to follow God's plan will always be answered!

Resisting the Temptation to Turn Stones to Bread

2007-05-11T15:50:00.002-05:00

The Bible tells about an experience Jesus had early in his career when he was in the wilderness for 40 days without food (Matthew 4). The devil tempted him saying, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." But Jesus refused this suggestion and replied, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

I've always thought that the point of this story is that one shouldn't try to use prayer or spiritual power for personal gain. However, recently I saw this story from another angle which was helpful to me, even if its not exactly the lesson intended by the Biblical writer.

I was on my morning jog when, for the second day in a row, a neighbor's unleashed dog ran out of its yard and began jumping on me. I stood still and waited while the neighbor came and retrieved their pet. They were barely apologetic, apparently thinking I should be thrilled to be a chew toy for their dog. As I jogged away, my mind was filled with negative thoughts about careless dog owners.

Then the thought came to me: "Those are just stones. Don't try to make bread out of them." To me this meant that those thoughts about my neighbor were not ideas from God. Therefore dwelling on those thoughts would not provide me with any mental sustenance. When Jesus said that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" he wasn't just talking about our physical diet. As he said elsewhere in his teachings, life is "more than meat". Our strength and health come from the God-like thoughts we entertain in our consciousness - thoughts from God.

Recognizing that ruminating about this incident with my neighbor's dog was a stone that would weigh me down, not food for thought, I refused the temptation to dwell on it further and turned my thoughts to ideas that God was sending me. "Put down the stone!" I told myself every time one of these negative thoughts would try to creep back into my thinking. I was soon happily occupied with more productive thoughts.

As I've thought further about this idea, I've realized there are other instances when I'm tempted to turn stones to bread. The human mind has a tendency to yield to the temptation to dwell on criticisms of others, rehearse events, or even just day-dream. While some of these thoughts may seem to be harmless or innocent, if they are not thoughts from God they have no nutritional value for our physical or spiritual well-being.

Recognizing these negative thought patterns as temptations to turn stones to bread has made me more alert to what is occupying my thinking. I am more readily putting aside the stones of mortal thought-patterns and seeking the life-giving word of God!

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Follow these links to additional ideas on turning stones to bread:
Some thoughts on turning stones to bread.
Living by God's word instead of turning stones to bread.
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Responding to the Tragedy at Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T12:04:00.000-05:00

I've been asking myself, "How do I respond to the tragic mass shootings of students at Virginia Tech University?" In a small way, this senseless event brings closer to me a taste of the despair and horror that people in Iraq are confronted with on a daily basis. These tragic events seem to be evil raising its voice and mocking Christianity with the taunt "What relevance or power do you have in today's world?"

Indeed, the lessons of Christ Jesus are the most relevant and powerful response to these tragedies!

Jesus was the world's most prominent innocent victim of hate. After a life of unparalleled unselfishness and good deeds, he was falsely accused, taunted, beaten, and publicly tortured to death. Almost no one cared and no one was held accountable or brought to public justice.

Yet he proved that none of this could affect his life or his God-given mission.

Christ Jesus gave us a basis for comforting victims of evil. He assured us "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). And he promised us: "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).

The apostle Paul assured us that nothing could "separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). Paul's reminder that "God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power" (I Corinthians 6:14) assures us that even those that have died are not outside of God's care. Our steadfast acknowledgement of these spiritual truths can help bring comfort to victims and their families - even those victims that have passed on.

The struggle between good and evil manifested in tragic events such as the shootings at Virginia Tech and the on-going mass murders in Iraq remind me of the disciple John's vision of the struggle between a great red dragon and God's angels (Revelation 12). Mary Baker Eddy brings a helpful perspective to this struggle. Writing in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she explains: "The great red dragon symbolizes a lie, - the belief that substance, life, and intelligence can be material. … The ten horns of the dragon typify the belief that matter has power of its own, and that by means of an evil mind in matter the Ten Commandments can be broken."

Jesus was victorious in his struggle to prove that God was his life, substance, and intelligence. The Christ continues with us today, supporting us in our efforts to bear witness to the supremacy of God and the powerlessness of evil. Tragedies do not make the Christ irrelevant, but remind us of the lessons of Christ Jesus and the urgency and importance of bearing witness to these lessons and demonstrating them in our lives.

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Exchange Shadows of Things to Come for Christ's Perspective

2007-04-11T10:52:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about shadows. Do I recognize a shadow when I see one? I want to know and deal with the real things in life, not with shadows. How much of what I see and concern myself with every day is really just a shadow?

In his letter to the Colossians, the apostle Paul wrote, "Don't put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ."

Hmmm, that's food for thought.

What about how I view myself or others? Am I looking at shadows? An interesting thing about your own shadow is that you typically have to be looking down to see it. Further on in his letter to the Colossians, Paul councils:

"Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life- even though invisible to spectators- is with Christ in God. He is your life."

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy explained a bit about "his perspective" and how this perspective brings healing. She wrote:

"Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."

The Christ is here. As each of us learns to look up from the shadows and see things from Christ's perspective we can bring healing to one another and the world!

Witnessing the Divine Influence in World Events and Individual Lives

2007-04-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

An article on the front page of today's paper says that a powerful Muslim cleric is urging the Iraqi police and army to join in anti-American attacks. Another article says many returning veterans are showing up in homeless shelters because of mental illness and addiction. Elsewhere in the paper are news stories about Guantanamo detainees going on a long-term hunger strike to protest their treatment and a reported increase in violent attacks by young people in the United States. What can we, as individuals, do to help heal these situations? And what about local events in our immediate experience where we may encounter individuals that are unemployed, depressed, or in conflict of some sort?

I've found that consciously acknowledging and witnessing God and the presence and influence of the Christ brings healing. The Christ is the divine power that Jesus expressed throughout his career of healing. Although the man Jesus does not appear with us today, the divine power and influence which he so clearly and consistently expressed are still here with us.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science and author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, described this divine influence as "ever present in human consciousness, and repeating itself…". The Christ is ever present and repeating itself in the consciousness of everyone - from Muslims in Iraq to teenagers here in America. This isn't just wishful thinking. I've seen this divine influence resolve conflicts in business dealings with others and between teenagers on a team I was coaching.

Acknowledge. This is a key action in one of the tenets of Christian Science. "We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness." This acknowledgement is not made by a simple repetition of words, but by a silent, heartfelt acceptance of these truths. In the case of each of the news reports described above, we can acknowledge the absolute supremacy of God over each specific situation and the presence of His Christ speaking directly to the consciousness of every individual involved. We must be consistent this acknowledgement by refusing to indulge in feelings of despair, anger, or frustration with any of the individuals or human administrations involved in these issues.

Witness. We can expect to witness outward proof of the divine influence that we are acknowledging. This requires us to lay aside cynicism and doubt and watch with alertness, expectancy, and desire to witness signs of the Christ activity. As in the initial appearance of the Christ as Jesus, these signs may at first seem insignificant or unexpected - like a baby in a manger. We can't outline what the signs should be, or like the Jews of old who were expecting a soldier or king, we will miss the signs of Christ's appearing and not appreciate the activity of the Christ. In my own experiences referred to above, it was witnessing the expression of the Christ in such simple signs as a neatly coiled hose and a cross on a necklace that led to my full recognition of the healing Christ.

We each have an opportunity today to help bring healing to the world. Acknowledge and witness the activity of God and the Christ!

The Real Secret

2007-03-27T10:39:00.000-05:00

There is a lot of buzz going around about "The Secret". The Secret is a new marketing presentation of an old idea that has surfaced over the years in many forms from many sources. Basically, it’s the idea that our thoughts control our experiences and the possessions we have. The promoters of The Secret claim that we can get what we want in life through thought control. You can get the specific details from the book or movie.

Some people have commented: "That's what Christian Science is all about, isn't it?"

No.

Christian Science is all about knowing God and God's laws and doing God's will - not our own will. Evan Mehlenbacher's blog Spiritview has a great discussion about some of the differences between The Secret movie and Christian Science.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, described the real secret in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Consider this passage:

"Christians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right had of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings. Trustworthiness is the foundation of enlightened faith. Without a fitness for holiness, we cannot receive holiness.
A great sacrifice of material things must precede this advanced spiritual understanding."

Self-forgetfulness, purity, affection, practice, understanding, trustworthiness, fitness for holiness, sacrifice. These are the qualities that Jesus preached and practiced. These are the qualities that lead to God's secret beauty and bounty hidden from the world.

This is the real secret!

Expanding My Concept of the Christ

2007-03-18T07:52:00.000-05:00

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." - Mary Baker Eddy

The Bible tells us that Christ is Emmanuel, which translated is "God with us". The Christ is the divine influence in human experience. One of my favorite descriptions of the Christ was written by Mary Baker Eddy in her book about the Bible titled Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. She describes Emmanuel as "... a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,

To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense],
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised."

I've often thought of this divine influence as the power of God's presence and the presence of God's power. Lately, I've expanded my sense of what this presence of the Christ means. Its more then God's power. It includes God's love, joy, goodness, and really all the wondrous qualities that are God's. In other words, the Christ is the presence of God's love and the love of God's presence, the presence of God's joy and the joy of God's presence. To expand on Eddy's description, the Christ is God's love and joy ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself!

Wow! Thank you God for your Christ presence!

Soaring Above the Pounding Waves of Tragic Headlines

2007-03-05T11:22:00.000-06:00

I try to pray regularly for both my local and world community. I, like many people throughout the world, believe that prayer does make a difference, both for my own peace and the entire world.

However, the steady barrage of tragic headlines that fill the news these days can be overwhelming and discouraging. Each time I check the latest news there are new headlines about people killed in suicide bombings, military operations, traffic accidents, domestic disputes - death, death, death! Like the steady pounding of waves against a shoreline, this constant deluge of evil tidings tries to erode away the spiritual foundation my prayers have built up. How can I respond practically and avoid becoming swept away or hardened and insensitive to these news headlines?

The life of Christ Jesus gives us an immediate and authoritative response to tragic headlines: "There is no death!"

Jesus proved this. Through demonstrating the power and presence of the Christ he raised himself and others from death and showed that evil and death have no permanent hold on life and goodness.

The apostle Paul stated the practicality of this demonstration in his letter to the Corinthians.

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ….For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: …But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science and author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, explained Jesus' proofs and their application to human experience this way:

The fact that the Christ, or Truth, overcame and still overcomes death proves the "king of terrors" to be but a mortal belief, or error, which Truth destroys with the spiritual evidences of Life; and this shows that what appears to be death is but a mortal illusion, for to the real man and the real universe there is no death-process.

So, when I am confronted by headlines of death, I respond immediately with the heartfelt declaration: "There is no death".

Even if I have no time at the moment for further spiritual reflection and prayer, this simple statement helps maintain my spiritual poise against the torrent of bad news. This statement is not self-delusion or mere words. It is based on a conviction of the truth of Jesus' demonstration.

Steadfast witnessing to this truth has a healing effect for all involved. It lifts us to soar above the waves of bad news and ultimately will help us to discern man's eternal life more clearly. As our understanding and comprehension of this truth grows it will lead us to echo Paul's words from Corinthians:

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? … Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Power of the Christ and the Year of the Pig

2007-02-20T16:30:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday marked the start of the Chinese New Year, which this year will be known as the Year of the Pig. "Disaster, unrest foretold for Year of the Pig" screamed the headline of an Associated Press article that appeared in my local Sunday paper. The article went on to explain that Pig years can be turbulent and that we should "Get ready for epidemics, disasters and violence in much of the world."

Whether these predictions strike you as fanciful or foreboding, now is a good time to acknowledge what power really controls our lives. In the book of Revelation, John writes "I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ". Commenting on this passage in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy says "Every mortal at some period, here or hereafter, must grapple with and overcome the mortal belief in a power opposed to God."

Several years ago, I experienced the power of God to overrule dire predictions. I was attending a geologic training course in Wyoming. Before the start of the camp, the university had warned students about the dangers of disease-carrying ticks in the area that we would be working. I hadn't given this much thought until the first day in the field when I observed ticks all around me and even on me. Although I quickly brushed off any ticks I found, I knew that more effective action was needed.

I prayed following the lines of the declaration from Revelation quoted above. I acknowledged that God's kingdom was there now, the power of the Christ was the only real power over me, and that this power would bring salvation from all threats. I affirmed that all creatures, including ticks, were God's creatures that lived and acted under the law of God and that under this divine law, God's creatures could not harm me. No power could be opposed to God. I persisted in these prayerful affirmations until I felt confident and at peace. Soon, I lost all fear of ticks.

During the remaining three weeks I was in Wyoming I saw only two more ticks. No tick ever bit me and I did not harm them either. At the end of the camp I shared a ride to the airport with one of the instructors. He remarked to me that he had seen almost no ticks this session and was very surprised. He said in previous years the ticks had caused quite a bit of trouble.

I'm not going to wait for disaster to appear in the Year of the Pig. "Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ." Affirming this truth every time we hear a prediction to the contrary will help us all grapple with and overcome the mortal belief in a power opposed to God.

How I Found My Valentine

2007-02-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Valentine: one's chosen sweetheart on Valentine's Day (Webster)

Many men and women are looking for a special relationship with someone. There are plenty of how-to-books, magazine articles, and singles websites offering tips and other assistance on this search.

Here's some advice that worked for me: Discover your special relationship with God.

During my college years, I was yearning for a special relationship with someone. I wanted something more than social friendship that would fill a void I felt. I was looking for a relationship that would involve spiritual growth together, sharing, trust, understanding, and unwavering care. My desire led me to pray. Through my prayers I realized that because of my relationship with God, I didn't need people to make me feel complete. All the companionship, caring, trust, and understanding, that I so rightly desired, was available to me immediately from God. This companionship was always there, constant, unwavering, and came directly from God to me. This is the Christ, Emmanuel, God-with-us. With this new understanding of my relationship with God, I felt satisfied and at peace.

Shortly thereafter, I met a fellow student as I was entering the college dining room. I asked her if she'd like to join me for dinner - and she did. Over time, a warm companionship developed, but this relationship wasn't the one I had prayed for. I had found my completeness in my relationship with God before meeting this young woman. It was my knowledge of this completeness which freed me to be at ease, open, and friendly. My awareness of the Christ presence attracted this new friend and provided the foundation for the development of our relationship.

Now, years later, she's still my friend, Valentine, and wife!

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3

Tony Dungy Meets Mary Baker Eddy in the Super Bowl

2007-02-07T11:19:00.000-06:00

No, he didn’t really. But some of the remarks he made to his team and reporters came as close as a 21st century ground-breaking Afro-American football coach might come to meeting this 19th century ground-breaking New England woman.

In addition to being one of the few Black coaches in the league, Tony is also one of the few coaches who practice Christianity in their coaching. Tony never raises his voice when speaking to his team, never swears, never tries to instill fear or anger in his players. He respects his players and treats them as he would like to be treated. Although Tony has always had good teams, they’ve never won the big games. Detractors and skeptics shook their heads and said things like “nice guys finish last” and “you have to be tough and mean to win in football”. Tony’s previous employer had fired him because of Tony’s style. But this didn’t cause Tony to deviate from coaching as he believed.

“We will encounter storms today” Tony told his team in the locker room prior to Sunday’s Super Bowl game. He wasn’t talking about the steady rain that was falling and would continue to fall throughout much of the game. And they did encounter storms. Less then 10 seconds into the game, Tony’s opponents, the Chicago Bears, set a Super Bowl record by scoring the first touchdown ever scored on an opening kick-off return. Minutes later, Tony’s quarterback threw an interception. When Tony’s team, the Indianapolis Colts, finally had a chance to tie the game with an extra point kick, the ball squirted through the holder’s hands and was pounced on by a Bear. It looked like once again, Tony’s team was going to loose the big one.

Throughout all it all, Tony remained calm and poised. He never yelled at his players, stomped his feet, or even gestured in frustration. Tony and his Colts persevered and eventually won the game. When asked afterwards by a reporter how he kept his team and himself so composed as they experienced these early setbacks, he replied “I told them, its just a storm. The Lord doesn’t always bring you directly there. Sometimes you have to work for it.” When asked if he was proud to be the first Black coach to win a Super Bowl, Tony replied, "Yes, but even more important is that I showed my Christian style of coaching can win!"

This is where Mary Baker Eddy comes in. She was the discoverer and founder of Christian Science. She also encountered many storms and discouraging setbacks in her life experience. In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she writes: “If you launch your bark upon the ever-agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms. Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown.”

Congratulations Tony, you won the crown!

1970 Watercolor by Arnold Burchess of a storm he and the author

encountered one afternoon at sea.

Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves

2007-01-30T21:25:00.000-06:00

When Jesus sent his disciples out to teach and heal others, one of his instructions was: "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

Someone once helped me learn the meaning of this passage - and he only charged $17.28 for the lesson!

I had been making an effort to be conscious of the Christly qualities expressed by each individual. The book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, says that the Christ is "a divine influence ever present in human consciousness". I had been learning that being conscious of the Christ in everyone does bring peace and healing (click here to read about one of my experiences). Applying this truth to everyone I met was an important exercise for me because my natural tendency is to be reserved and cautious with strangers. This tendency had often kept me from not being as quick to step up and help strangers in certain situations where I really should have and I knew that wasn't right.

On this particular day, I was working in a bookstore run by my church. A man came in with four paper rolls of dimes (like you'd get from a bank). He explained that he worked in a restaurant and had collected the dimes as tips. He said he didn't have time to go to a bank to turn them in and wondered if I would exchange him a $20 bill for his four rolls of 50 dimes each.

My old tendency to distrust people immediately kicked in. I thought "This is a scam if I ever saw one". I was about to rip his rolls open when I remembered how I was trying to change my knee-jerk reaction to strangers and be conscious of their Christliness. With a bit of embarrassment, I carefully opened the ends of a couple of the rolls. I saw there were dimes, so with a smile I gave the man $20 from my wallet and accepted his rolls of dimes. After the man left I discovered there were only dimes at the ends of each roll. The rest of the roll contained pennies!

I didn't feel angry with the man, so much as I felt disappointed that my noble effort to be conscious of man's Christliness had not gone as I had expected. It was then that I remembered the instruction from Jesus about sheep, wolves, serpents, and doves. The wolf certainly got the sheep in this situation! I realized that recognizing good does not mean ignoring wisdom and allowing evil to run its course. Discerning the Christ should not exclude discerning a wise course of action! In fact, the initial caution I felt in this situation may have been the Christ speaking to me rather than what I thought was my misguided human suspicion.

I did take the opportunity to pray for this man to be enabled to express more of his God-given integrity. I'm sure he was blessed by that, but he would have been blessed more (and perhaps discouraged from bilking someone else) if I had followed my initial premonition and prevented him from cheating me. Even if the discrepancy had been exposed and he pretended he didn't know the rolls were full of pennies, it would have been a good opportunity to talk about integrity. The book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, "Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help." Being "wise as serpents" does more then protect ourselves from evil. We strengthen and bless our brother-man by stopping or turning him from dishonest acts.

Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which
forfeits divine help. You uncover sin, not in order to injure, but in order to bless the corporeal man; and a right motive has its reward. - Mary Baker Eddy

Foundation Stones

2007-01-22T07:25:00.000-06:00

I was thinking about foundations this morning. In particular, what is my foundation? I'd have to say that my foundation is two books: The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. These two books are my main tools for learning about, understanding, and following God - and that is what life is all about!

For most of my life I've kept a journal of sorts about healings that I or others in my family have experienced through turning to God for help. There are currently about 75 healings described in this journal. The earliest experience was a time when I was 16 and needed some help. Not knowing what else to do, I started reading these two books and very shortly my problem was solved.

The events I've recorded in my journal over the years include healings of illnesses and injuries, resolving of relationship and business problems, experiences of guidance and protection, and finding of lost articles. This blog documents a number of those events.

My experience with these books is not unique. In fact, the last 100 pages of Science and Health are testimonies written by people that were healed by reading this book. You can read about other healings that have come from reading these books at www.spirituality.com or in the other blogs listed to the right.

Here is another healing from my journal:

Healing of Back - July 2002
I was lifting a canoe above my head when I suddenly felt something “pop” in my back. I found I could no longer lift anything heavy and for a brief period it was difficult to stand and breath. My wife comforted me with spiritual truths and I soon got my breath, but I could not lift anything.

That night I slept uncomfortably and when morning came my back still hurt and I found that I could not stand straight. I began to treat this problem as I've learned to in Christian Science. I had been reading Science and Health and highlighting passages related to thought. As I reviewed these highlighted passages it was clear that thought, not a physical condition, is what in all cases needs to be healed.

The daily Bible lesson contained Jesus’ statement: “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” I had been thinking about this statement all week and had concluded that “knowing the truth” did not mean to think positively, it meant to understand the true condition of man based on Biblical authority.

I thought about this Biblical authority and what truths the Bible tells us about man. In Genesis it says that man is made in the “image and likeness of God” and that he is “very good”. This image certainly couldn’t include an injured back. In Psalms 23 it says that the Lord is our shepherd. God’s shepherding includes more than just watching us – he tenderly cares for all our needs. The Lord’s Prayer tells us that God is our father and that He delivers us from evil. God was delivering me from evil thoughts or beliefs that I could be injured.

I continued reasoning along these lines for about 15 minutes. At that point my wife went by on her way to play tennis. I had planned to play also, but had told her that I couldn’t possibly play with the back pain I was experiencing. Now, after praying, I felt much better and told her I would go too. I played for an hour and a half without any pain, stiffness, or other physical problems. In fact, I really forgot that I had had a problem until I came home and saw my Bible lying open on my desk. Since that day I have been physically active and have not experienced any back problems or lingering effects.

In contemplating this healing I found two passages in Science and Health that describe my experience: “Truth casts out error now as surely as it did nineteen centuries ago” and “…find a sovereign antidote for error in the life-giving power of Truth acting on human belief, a power which opens the prison doors to such as are bound, and sets the captive free physically and morally.”

The Divine Influence

2007-01-02T15:18:00.000-06:00

I'm grateful for every event in my life, no matter how small, which points to the presence and influence of God. Recently my family was out for a day of skiing. Parking at ski areas can sometimes be a bit free-form. Although people try to park in neat rows, the rows inevitably bend and vehicles can end up in irregular positions. At the end of this particular day, we piled into our van and I proceeded to back carefully out of our parking spot. We were in a tight spot so I had to watch our front bumper carefully as well as both mirrors. Although I hadn't backed up enough to swing the front of the van and both mirrors looked clear, I suddenly felt influenced to stop and I immediately did so. Just then I noticed a car parked behind me that had not been visible before in my mirrors. My shiny steel rear bumper was only inches from its gleaming red side door. Needless to say, I was grateful for that timely direction to stop that came to my thought at the appropriate moment.

Was this luck? An arbitrary visit from some guardian angel? I consider benevolent directives such as this one to be the influence of the Christ. I like to think of the Christ as the presence of God's power in human affairs and the power of God's presence. The book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy describes this divine influence as "ever present in human consciousness". I am grateful, both for the prevention of an unhappy end to our outing, and for the tangible reminder that this divine influence is present in my life.

I'm confident that this divine influence is constantly present - in everyone's lives - even when its effects are not so clearly apparent. Of course you have to listen for this influence and respond to it. I've experienced the effects of inconsistent listening (click here to read that story)! However, daily reminding myself of the presence of the Christ and gratefully acknowledging every sign of the Christ that I see helps me to be tuned to respond to this divine influence. You can too!

Riding in the Back Seat

2006-12-30T12:37:00.000-06:00

A friend and I have been talking about how in life we are really in the back seat, not the driver's seat. God is our trusted driver. She knows the destination, the route, all the turns, and She will drive us safely. This analogy gives me a great sense of peace about where my life is going. I'm not dependent on chance. I don't have to force my will. I don't have to fear or be anxious about what the new year will bring.

Do I just ride along and twiddle my thumbs? No. Jesus' life is a guide for back-seat riders. Perhaps foremost among his teachings are the Beatitudes - or beautiful attitudes for back-seat riding. As I ride into the new year, I'm contemplating these familiar instructions for happiness. Below, I've listed the Beatitudes as they appear in the King James translation. Another interesting rendition of them can be found in Eugene Peterson's translation, The Message (page forward to chapter 5 to find the Beatitudes). Consider them with me and enjoy your ride!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

Seasonal re-runs - The Christmas Story ... and You!

2006-12-01T17:26:00.000-06:00

December is the month for re-runs of favorite holiday television shows - "Its a Wonderful Life", "A Sesame Street Christmas", "Polar Express", and of course "A Christmas Carol", to name a few. We're all familiar with these shows, but many of them have lessons that are worth refreshing in our thought and repeating so that those that haven't seen them can be blessed by their message.

Although its not a classic on the same level as many of these television shows, I have a blog from last Christmas that I've already been re-running in my thought. It has an idea that I try to re-visit, explore, and make a part of my Christmas experience every year. I'd like to share it with those of you who missed it last year.

The Christmas Story ... and you!
I've always loved the Christmas story, the story of the birth of Jesus recorded in the Bible (Matthew 2, Luke 2). The story tells of a bright star that wisemen from far away followed to Bethlehem, of angels that spoke and sang to shepherds watching their flocks that night, of there being no room at the inn so the newborn baby was laid in a manger, of a wicked king who tried to locate and kill the baby boy. Did these events really happen? Some scholars don't think so.

I can tell you that the Christmas story really happened - I was there! No, I wasn't in Bethlehem in 4 BC. But the Christmas story isn't tied to a year in the calendar or a place on the globe. The Christmas story is about the appearance of the Christ-idea in our own consciousness.

For many of us, when it comes to the Christ, there is truly no room at the inn. We are so busy 24/7 with careers, family, and entertainment that we hardly have time to eat and sleep, let alone be aware of the Christ. But the Christ comes anyway, to each of us, continually. We don't recognize the Christ or even realize that it is in our experience because ... well, its like a baby in a manger - out of the radar of our attention and seemingly irrelevant and insignificant. So the Christ comes as little baby events in our day - the bird singing outside your bedroom window before dawn, the sales clerk or waitress or passing stranger that smiles at you, the bright sunshine that warms you or gentle breeze that cools, the empty parking space right where you need it, and yes, the fresh snow decorating the bare tree branches.

If we are wisemen, we are alert to the signs of Christ's coming. We behold the star and are willing to leave the comfort and convenience of our lives to follow where the star leads us, even into foreign lands - new ways of thinking and acting. We bring gifts to honor this new birth: gifts of giving up of our old ways of thinking and giving our commitment to work and follow in a new way. With this attitude we successfully follow the star to the young child.

Watchful shepherds are awake and listening. We are watchful shepherds if we don't let our thought be lulled into stupefaction by the gross materialism and sensualism of the age. Watchfully guarding the innocence of our being, our spiritual identity, we will hear and heed the angel messages that announce the presence of the Christ.

There is an evil king in our lives too. In the Bible story, Herod, the king imposed on the Jews by Roman authority, saw the young child as his rival and sought to slay him. Today, the false king that would eliminate the Christ from our experience appears in may forms - the glamour and self-centered greed of modern society, the claims of medical practice that would limit or deny the healing Christ, the intellictualism or scientific materialism that says the Bible is archaic, inaccurate, or irrelevant. Like the wisemen in the Bible story, we must recognize the intent of these kings and not let them interfere with our embracing of the Christ.

What if we have room at the inn, are wisemen and shepherds, and foil the evil king? Then the Christ enters our experience and true Christmas comes! And all I can say about the true Christmas is WOW! (Click here to read one of my "Christmas" experiences).

Gratitude for that which is not yet seen

2006-11-26T23:02:00.000-06:00

I usually get up early in the morning and one of the first things I like to do is sit quietly and listen for messages from the Christ. Recently this thought came to me:

"Be grateful for things before you see them physically because spiritually they are already there."

I love that thought. It fits well with my idea of prayer. Prayer is not asking God to do something, but asking God to open our eyes to reveal to us the good that is already going on. Its natural then to take this a step further and be grateful for what must already be present in God's perfect, complete everpresent creation.

Gratitude for that which is not yet seen is powerful. I can think of a number of instances in my life where I've experienced this power. One time was when I was responsible for installation of a large computer system that would serve many people in the organization where I worked. I had spent months writing specifications, getting bids, arranging purchases, scheduling workman to prepare the computer room. As in any complex project there were snags, delays, and obstructions, but through prayer all difficulties had been overcome.

The project was nearing its deadline for completion, but the end was in sight. It was Friday evening and the computer was physically in-place and needed to have its operating system and other software running by Monday morning to be available for a training class that was scheduled to start that day. A technician from the computer company and I planned to work all weekend to complete the job. There was a lot of work to do, but we probably had just enough time to get it done.

About midnight we became stuck. The computer was running, but not performing as it should. Until we fixed this problem we could not continue with the installation. We were stumped. Neither I nor the company's technician, a veteran of many computer installations, had ever seen this problem before. The computer company's other employees were gone for the weekend and we wouldn't be able to reach anybody for help until Monday morning. It looked like the job would not be completed on time.

While the technician sat at the computer console trying various solutions, I walked to the other side of the room to quiet my thought and listen for inspiration. I thought of the many challenges this project had faced over the past year and how in each case a solution had appeared. I felt grateful for this evidence of divine support that I had witnessed. The thought came to me, "God isn't going to take you halfway. God didn't bring you this far to leave you here." With this message, my gratitude for the past evidence of support blossomed into a confident gratitude that all was well right then. I didn't know how we were going to solve this problem, but I was grateful to God for the solution I new He would provide. I didn't feel any sense of urgency or impatience. I simply felt confident gratitude for that which was not yet seen.

At that point I was leaning against the computer's printer, a box about the size of a washing machine. The printer had been spewing out a continuous stream of paper at a high rate of speed for several minutes. I happened to glance down at the paper flowing out of the printer. The sheet of paper coming out at that moment had printed on it in large letters "Important - Read This". Following that headline were about three sentences that in essence said that due to a recent engineering change you had to do X before you can do Y. I had just enough time to read this before the page disappeared into a large stack of paper behind the printer. I never saw that piece of paper again.

My colleague was still typing away at the computer console. "Do you know what is printing over here?" I asked. "Yes", he replied, "Just put that on the top shelf in the back room and forget about it. You don't need it." I told him about the message I had seen and he was unaware of this change. We followed the instructions I had read. Our problem was solved! We were able to continue our work and completed the project by the deadline.

Does God send His messages to us through computers? I don't know. But I do know that God's creation is complete, harmonious, and entirely good right now. Gratitude for this ever present goodness, even when not yet seen, helps reveal the goodness. With this lesson in mind, I say with gratitude, "Thank you God for peace in our world, our communities, our families! Thank you God for taking care of each individual and organism on this planet! Thank you for your boundless good!"

Running in the Splash Zone

2006-11-14T09:05:00.001-06:00

I love running on the beach! The rhythm and roar of the waves, the expanse of sky reaching right down to the horizon, salty sea breeze, fascinating wildlife, and firm but cushioning sand make for an exhilarating jog. Its also an ideal time to pray and listen for inspiration from the Christ! I have the opportunity to be in the mid-coast area of California several times a year so when ever I'm there I run several miles on the beach every day.

Most people that come to the beach stay on the loose, dry sand that extends from the shore to the water's edge. The dry sand is a warm, safe place to stand or walk slowly, but I can't run on it. For every step forward my foot slips half a step backwards. Progress is difficult and slow.

I've learned that the best place for beach running is in the "splash zone". This is the narrow strip of wet sand at the water's edge where the breaking waves are pounding the sand into a firm surface with just the right amount of cushioning for a runner's feet. If I pace myself in sync with the cycle of the waves, the water from the last wave has receded just enough that my shoes don't get wet or create splashes. If I stay right in this splash zone I can run effortlessly, but I have to stay alert. The best path is narrow and not always straight. If I stray too far toward the water my feet are wet! Too far the other direction and I'm suddenly slogging along and sinking into the soft sand. An extra large wave breaking near me may force me to swerve abruptly landward. Ridges or raised areas in the beach cause me to veer seaward to stay on the firmest sand.

Recently, as I was running and listening for inspiration, the thought came to me that beach running is a good analogy for our interactions and relationships with others. We can lounge safely and comfortably on the dry sand - uninvolved, stationary, inattentive, not progressing... or we can run in the splash zone - advance and improve our relationships and move them to a new level.

What does it take to run in the splash zone of life? Just like on the beach, it takes a willingness to move out of comfortable apathy and risk getting one's feet wet. However, its not about taking chances or doing something foolish. If you don't watch what you're doing and veer suddenly ocean ward, you will be drenched! On the beach, its trusting that a strip of firm, hard sand is consistently there along the splash zone. In life, its trusting that when we want to live in accord with God, God's love always provides a way for us to move forward.

Just as one must maintain alert watchfulness of the waves and contours of the beach as we choose and hold the right line and not stray too far seaward or landward, so too in the splash zone of life we must listen constantly for the Christ-message to guide our steps. The book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy assures us that these messages of Christ are "ever present in human consciousness." Running in the splash zone also requires flexibility and willingness to adjust one's pace - patiently slowing to let the wave ahead of you recede or quickly speeding up to stay ahead of an on-rushing wave. Likewise, in life we must not stick stubbornly to a pre-conceived human plan, but be always open to a clearer or new view and ready to adjust to God's will as it is revealed.

This analogy has given me the inspiration and assurance to move forward in a number of situations in my life. As I write this blog I've been back in the heartland of mid-America for over a week - but my running in the splash zone continues!

Christ Speaking Through the Trees

2006-10-16T16:30:00.000-05:00

Recently I went for a jog in a local, wooded park on a glorious, warm, fall afternoon. Although it felt like such a special day to be out running, I found my thoughts continually turning inward and rehashing over and over a particular situation I was seeking a solution for. In this situation the multiple participants had radically different agendas and courses of action they were pursing. Resolving these differences seemed unsolvable.

Finally, I silenced these distracting thoughts by opening my thought outward and asking "What is God trying to tell me now?". The book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, tells us that the Christ is ever present in human consciousness. The Christ is Truth, God speaking to and revealing His power and presence to humanity. I persisted in asking this question and silenced any thought that came into my consciousness that did not appear to be God speaking.

As my consciousness became still I observed the trees spreading across the horizon of the path ahead. Some trees had already lost all their leaves. Others were at the peak of their autumn glory. While still others were wearing their summer greenery as if unaware of the change in season.

The Christ was speaking to me! The trees seemed to be pursuing their own agendas independent of one another. Did any one tree control the others in the forest or have any control or influence over the approaching winter? No! Every part of the forest was under God's control. God's will would be done according to His plan, His schedule. Nothing could change that. I had no concerns about the future of the forest. As I thought about this message, my concerns about my own situation began to fade and drop away like the autumn leaves.

Although the situation is still being resolved, I'm feeling much more at peace about it. Every time a concern about the multiple agendas raises itself I think about the Christ's message of the trees. God is in control!

Fear and healing

2006-10-10T23:08:00.000-05:00

Recently an electrician came to my house to repair a circuit. I watched him as he removed a switch cover on the wall and proceeded to disconnect and re-wire the three switches inside the box. Twisting wires together and connecting wires to terminals is simple work, but what amazed me was that the electrician was doing this with the power on!

"Do you always do that without turning off the power?", I asked. "Usually", he replied, "It is much more efficient to test each connection as I make it." Then I asked the obvious question. "Do you ever get shocked?" He smiled and said "Every now and then." "But", he continued, "110 volts can't really hurt you. People think they are hurt when they get shocked simply because they are full of fear. If you learn not to be afraid, a shock doesn't bother you."

I found his observation about the relationship of fear and pain interesting. It reminded me of what Mary Baker Eddy says about fear and healing in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:

Always begin your treatment by allaying the fear of patients. Silently reassure them as to their exemption from disease and danger. Watch the result of this simple rule of Christian Science, and you will find that it alleviates the symptoms of every disease. If you succeed in wholly removing the fear, your patient is healed.

Why would this be? Because, Eddy explains, "Sickness, disease, and death proceed from fear."

The Bible also notes the importance of overcoming fear. For example, when Peter started to walk on the water, the Bible tells us that he was afraid and began to sink (Matthew 14:30). In the incident when Jesus raised a young girl that had died, he first instructed her parents "Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole" (Luke 8:50).

What about in my own experience with healings? As I thought about the healings I've had, I realized that many of them did involve healing fear, even though I often never thought about fear being an issue. For example, one time I injured my toe playing soccer. I was uncomfortable for me to walk or even wear a shoe. Over the next few days, I spent many hours praying for healing of my toe. There were no signs of progress. Feeling discouraged, I examined my thought carefully. I realized that I wasn't so concerned about my toe, but I was very anxious about not playing soccer. I loved the game and being with my teammates so much that I felt like I was missing out on fun by being away from the game. At this point my prayer changed direction. I quietly acknowledged that all good came directly to me from God - not through a game or a group of people. As I cherished the truth of this idea and knew that God's provision of good was constant I felt a deep inner peace I hadn't had since the injury occurred. ... And then I also felt something in my toe change and I was immediately able to use my foot freely without pain.

What had happened? I had thought that a physical problem with my toe, not fear, was what needed healing. However, my discernment of the truth that God is the unlimited source of all good had healed my fear of being separated from good - and then the physical problem with my toe disappeared. The Esquire soccer team, late 1970's. Author in front row at left.

Where do I dwell?

2006-10-07T06:47:00.000-05:00

My daughter's bird is in love with my foot. He follows it everywhere. He talks and sings to it. He notices other people's feet too, but my foot is his favorite.

One day when he was chattering away, trying to hold a conversation with my foot, I said to him, "Hey silly, I'm not down there, I'm up here." But then I considered what I was saying and thought "or am I?" Did I believe that "I", my consciousness, existed somewhere in my head, behind my eyes, or any part of my material body?

Jesus gave us a new perspective on the body and where we actually dwell. He walked on the water, satisfied the hunger of huge crowds of people with a small quantity of food, walked unnoticed through an angry crowd, healed people suffering from all sorts of physical ailments, raised people from death - including himself. Ultimately he ascended. What was Jesus's teaching us about where we dwell?

In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy says this about Jesus's perspective of man: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the savior saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." What is this correct view of man that Jesus saw? Mrs. Eddy said "Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones, and other material elements." So, she concludes, "Man is not a material habitation for Soul; he is himself spiritual."

I've glimpsed this fact from time to time when I've experienced healings that defy physical explanation. So, my little feathered friend. You may serenade my toes, but I will look for my true identity in Spirit!

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. I John 3:2